Mud, Sweat & Beers
by SparrowNotes24
Summary: Boot camp in the freezing winter sounds like hell on earth, but is there anything that would make it bearable? Bring on the sexy soldiers! A little bit of fun, a smidgen of angst, and a whole bucket load of muddy lovin'. All Human.
1. Plank

_AN: This chapter has been reposted after being beta'd by Project Team Beta's Klooqy/Poppycock Zuipperpips and JulieToo. Thank you ladies for all your help! Thanks to Mod Batgirl too for helping me out with some much needed comma lessons!_

_This little story has been bouncing around my head for a while now, so I thought I'd better write it down so I can get some sleep!_

**Disclaimer : SM owns Twilight**

**Chapter 1**

**PLANK**

* * *

"Holy Jesus Christ on a bicycle!"

Ro's screech nearly made me jump out of my skin.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I looked over and she was precariously perched on her desk, peering out of the window. Her assignment was forgotten and half crumpled under her knees; the rest was scattered over the floor.

"Get me the pirate telescope, quick!" she shouted, holding her hand out behind her, without breaking her gaze.

"Ro," I grumbled, "I'm comfy here; get it yourself."

I'd been lying on my bed in our dorm room for the past hour, reading trashy magazines and stuffing my face with cookies. Instead, I should have been finishing my riveting assignment on the 'Correlation between prison conditions and inmates' behaviour'. It wasn't my personal choice of topic; Ryan Gosling's abs and the 'Top ten red carpet fashion disasters' were all I wanted to analyse right now.

"B, get your ass over here and pass me the telescope. NOW!" she screamed. It just made me laugh before I returned to my magazine.

"If you don't get me the damn telescope in the next ten seconds I will call your Mom and tell her you gave Professor Banner a blow job to get your latest grade, AND I will add he only gave you a C minus."

"You wouldn't dare."

Without moving her eyes from the window, she picked up her phone and speed dialled my Mom.

I jumped up off the bed, diving towards her to grab the phone.

"Okay, Okay, I'll get it."

Unfortunately, my foot landed on the last magazine I'd unceremoniously dumped on the floor, causing me to slide into the splits. The splits are not recommended for someone like me - someone who is as flexible as a plank of wood.

"Fuckity fuck … aahh … I literally just broke my lady bits, you idiot." I crumpled in a heap on the carpet, a worryingly sharp burning pain shooting through my groin.

She was laughing at me now. In fact, I'd probably class it as hysterics. She was holding her stomach, tears running down her stupid cheeks.

"What the hell are you doing?" She tried to catch her breath, continuing to giggle as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I didn't need you to perform a gymnastic routine to deliver it to me."

"Ha ha, smart ass." I dragged myself off the floor and rooted around for the telescope in my drawer.

I know having a telescope is a bit weird by anyone's standards, unless you're an astronomer or you own a really big ship, but ours was the result of a fancy dress party for our friend Peter.

Everyone had to dress as something beginning with "P".

Yep, there were at least five penises there that night.

Ro went as a plant.

Yes, a plant.

She had worn nude coloured underwear and stuck loads of leaves, twigs and vines to herself. She somehow still managed to look sexy with palm tree fronds sticking out of her head.

As per usual, I'd left it till the last second, and the only outfit left was a pirate. I wore the obligatory eye patch, striped leggings, skull and crossbones hat and of course the telescope. Unfortunately there were no parrots left.

I perched a penguin on my shoulder instead.

.

.

Retrieving the telescope, I walked over to Ro's side of the room to see what was going on outside the window.

It had better be good.

"What'cha looking at?" I pinched her to get her attention. She slapped my hand away and grabbed the scope.

"Mmm-mm-mmm … there is one hell 'ova good-looking man outside," she purred, focusing in on him, "and not only that, but he's a man in a uniform, and you know I can't resist a man in a uniform."

I shoved her over and climbed onto her desk to get a better view. "Let me see this."

"Hey!" She pouted, giving me a dirty look. "I saw him first."

Our dorm room was on the fourth floor of the student accommodation near the University, called The Downs. It was one of around ten buildings surrounded by playing fields. On sunny days, everyone would sunbathe and hang out on the fields. Now the sun was setting and ice-cold wind whipped across the grass so hardly anyone was around.

We'd both come to England for the third year of college, on an International Student exchange studying Criminology & Psychology. We had been inseparable from the day we first met at pre-school when Ro pulled my hair, and I pulled hers right back. We both made sure we roomed at college back home and had demanded we share a room here too.

"Where have you been hiding?" Ro muttered under her breath.

The prey that Ro had in her sights was an enormous man who was leaning into the back of a blue van. I couldn't see his face, but his body looked pretty rocking. She was right; he seemed to be wearing a uniform that consisted of camouflage trousers and a navy blue t-shirt.

"What's he doing?" I had asked Ro seeing as she still had the scope.

"Hmm?"

"Earth to Ro. What - is – he – doing?" I asked again.

"He seems to be unloading boxes of bibs, you know, like for PE. It says British Army something on the side of the van. I can't see the last bit; the door is in the way." She leaned in to get a closer look, at which point she whacked the end of the scope against the window.

"Ouch!" We both laughed as she rubbed her eye.

"I didn't think my day could be any more boring and then what do you know, hotty soldier boy appears right outside my window. I must have done something good to deserve this," she mused.

I laughed at her in disbelief. "You have definitely not been good, how many boys did you make out with last night? Three, four … I lost count after five."

She shoved me playfully, and I nearly fell off the desk. "Shut it, Swan. It was two, and it wasn't at the same time or the same place."

"Two bars inside the same club, within the same hour does not make two different times or places, Ro-the-Ho."

She stuck her tongue out. "You're just jealous because your only option was Sweaty Boy."

"He was NOT my only option. I'm just very picky, and hell would have to freeze over before I sucked face with Mike Newton and his over-active sweat glands." I shuddered at the thought.

"Look." She gestured back outside. "There are loads of girls turning up! What is this? How did we not know that Sergeant Sexy Pants was coming to town, yet all these bitches did?"

I looked over at the crowd that was beginning to form around the van. The soldier was easier to make out now; he was built like a brick shit house, and had shaved dark hair. He had a clipboard and seemed to be taking a roll call. The group was made up of both sexes, but definitely a higher percentage of girls who were flitting around the soldier like moths to a flame.

"Have they all got work out gear on? It must be a sports thing?"

"Yeah," she growled, "and that red-head might as well have just worn a bra. She's bursting out of that ridiculous top."

"Let me see." I grabbed the scope from her. "Jesus, she'll get a black eye if she runs around with those hanging out!"

The group all grabbed a coloured bib from the boxes: red, green or blue. Then they got into groups that matched their colours and moved to the playing fields. It looked like two other men in uniforms had joined them, but in the fading light it was hard to see much.

The groups began running around in circles and jumping up and down.

"It's definitely a fitness class or something."

I spotted a flash of yellow out of the corner of my eye and saw the tiny form of a girl sprinting across to them. She was dressed head to toe in yellow spandex.

I'd recognise her anywhere.

"Look! I think that's Ali."

Ali was one of the first English girls we met when we arrived at the University. She had taken it upon herself to show us the ropes, and we had been firm friends since. She was a law major and was going to make a killer attorney, or lawyer as she called it. Looking at her you'd think she'd be a pushover, but NOBODY messes with Ali. We'd learnt that she was a good person to have on your side. Especially when you were in a spot of trouble, which for the three of us was often.

She could talk her way out of anything.

"Right, we are going to intercept her after she finishes and interrogate the little minx." Ro grabbed her phone and sent off a text, presumably to Ali. "First, let's go and check out the van."

Jumping off the desk, she grabbed my arm and pulled me along, the pain in my groin causing me to limp slightly.

"No way, Ro, it's freezing out there. You go, and I'll wait here and keep erm … urm ... "

Ro glared at me for a second before she smirked.

"I do feel a bit sorry for your epic gymnastic fall earlier, so you stay here. I'll be two minutes."

She flew out of the door and down the stairs. I went back to the window and squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the group. I could vaguely see shapes running around and every so often throwing themselves on the ground. I shuddered at the thought of rolling around in the freezing mud in the dark. Why would anyone choose to do that to themselves?

It wasn't that I was bad at sports; I had been on the track team at high school and still ran regularly, but I absolutely hated to be cold or wet or dirty.

I heard her pounding up the stairs before the door was flung open, the handle smacking into the wall. "British Army Fitness," she gasped, out of breath.

Ten minutes later we'd learnt everything there was to know about British Army Fitness, or BAF as they liked to be known. It was a boot camp and sounded like actual hell on earth. The only saving grace was that it was run by soldiers either on leave or who were in the reserves.

Also, judging by the photos on the website, they must have had to enter a Mr Universe contest to become a trainer.

We drooled over them until Ro stood up and announced she was joining the class the next week.

"Good luck with that," I laughed as I flopped back onto my bed, worn out after all the excitement.

I was greeted with silence.

Warily, I looked over to Ro who was standing with her hand on her hip, tapping her foot and raising her eyebrow. Just as I thought she couldn't possibly use any more clichés, she started tapping her finger on her lips before they spread into a smug smile.

"What?" I asked dubiously.

"Bella Swan," she smiled sweetly, "remember how you made me go to see that band. The one where you were crushing on the drummer?"

"Oh no." I groaned, knowing where this was going.

"Remember how you said you would do anything for me if I got us backstage?"

I mumbled in response.

"And how I got you backstage, but you got so drunk that you puked in the lead singer's guitar case? Is this ringing any bells, Bells?"

"Yes." I cringed.

"Can you remember who had to take responsibility for you _and_ clean up your vomit?"

I nodded.

"Good!" She smirked and pointed at me. "You are coming with me. End of story!"

I huffed and threw my pillow at her.

She ducked under it, laughing. "I'm going to grab a shower, and when I'm back we can plan our method of attack."

She nodded, happy with herself, before heading to the bathroom.

.

A little while later I heard voices outside.

Wondering if it was the end of the class I peeked out, but it was just one of the soldiers helping a man who looked like he'd sprained his ankle. He was half hopping, half limping along, before they came to rest by the van that was lit up under a street lamp.

It wasn't the same soldier as before; he was taller and looked leaner with slightly longer hair. Short at the sides and longer on top. Kind of crazy messy.

He helped the man sit inside the van, before he turned away and moved further into the light.

Holy crap. There before me was the most gorgeous specimen of a man I had ever laid my eyes on.

Maybe this boot camp malarkey wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

AN: Thanks for reading.

**I joined one of these boot camps in the lead up to my wedding and it is AWFUL!**

**Sparrow xx**


	2. Star Jumps

This chapter has now been beta'd by **shouvley** and **itlnbrt **from **Project Team Beta**. Thank you so much to them both for wading through and sorting out my comma swamped ramblings!

**AN**: Thank you so much for my reviews, follows and favourites. It's nice to see there are some people out there reading this little story!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Twilight, The Village People or Edwinn Starr. No copyright infringement intended.

**~0~0~0 STAR JUMPS 0~0~0~**

For the past two hours, I'd been attempting to do some work in the library. Between Ro's constant stream of texts, and the fact we got in at 3 a.m. this morning, I'd managed to make approximately zero progress. The five cups of tepid dishwater, which passed for coffee here, hadn't helped either.

I calculated that I'd spent five minutes in the line for each coffee, ten minutes being scolded for having said coffee in the library, eighteen minutes grumbling at the injustice of not being allowed coffee in the library, ten minutes formulating a plan, to hide my coffee from the beady eyed librarian, thirty minutes daydreaming about being rescued from the dreary library by handsome soldiers, and another five minutes thinking up this calculation, giving me a grand total of twelve minutes of real work, which consisted of performing a spell check and three word-counts on the two pages I wrote last week.

My phone vibrated loudly on the desk, causing every person in the library to shoot me a death glare. Answering it, Ro's voice accompanied by loud music, exploded into the silence.

"I'M OUTSIDE, GEEKY McGEEKERSON."

Mortified, I grabbed all my books and headed to the exit. I spotted the librarian marching over towards me, her lips pursed. I momentarily wondered if becoming a bitter old lady is what happens when you have to shush people all the time.

Running out of the door as fast as my legs could carry me, I felt numerous pairs of eyes burning holes in my back.

If I'd thought my embarrassment for the day was over, I was wrong. I heard it before I saw her.

_"In the navy,_

_Yes, you can sail the seven seas_,

_In the navy_,

_Yes, you can put your mind at ease_,

_In the navy_

_Come on now, people, make a stand,_

_In the navy."_

Parked at the side of the library was Ro, music blaring out across the campus.

If there had been a bush nearby, I would have jumped into it. Unfortunately, I was destined to have no luck today, so I trudged over to her under the glares of more angry academics.

I ripped open the door and scowled at her, wrenching the volume control down as I got in.

"Well hello, darling. How was your day?" She smiled sweetly.

"'In the NAVY'?" I fumed.

"I'm getting us in the mood for our shopping trip." She grinned before pulling away from the curb at warp speed, scattering our audience.

"You do know the difference between the Navy and the Army, right?"

"Yes, obviously, but I didn't want to limit the playlist."

I palmed my face in exasperation. "There's a playlist?"

"Yes of course. You have to have a playlist for every occasion."

I grabbed her iPod. "Operation Sex-me-up soldiers?"

"What? I had to call it something!"

"Soldiers … plural?"

"Yep, one for you and one for me."

I spluttered, "Me? You never said anything about that! I thought I was just coming to keep you company! "

I hadn't told Ro about the sighting of Sex-on-Legs, as I was now referring to him. She was notorious for her matchmaking attempts. Attempts because they usually ended in total failure.

Prime example: Mr. Connor, our chemistry teacher in high school.

I may have mentioned to her, once, that I thought he was handsome. She watched his behavior around me like a hawk, until one day his innocent praise over my latest piece of work was deemed, by Ro, to be a clear sign he had the hots for me.

A note was promptly forged in my scrawling handwriting, inviting him to "_meet me in the chemistry lab to assess my abilities,"_ among other cringe-worthy things. It was then handed in with our next assignment.

I was dragged to the principal's office, mother in tow, to talk about my inappropriate behavior, and I had to endure a mortifying birth control talk with both of my parents. Ro had to give me her beloved black leather jacket as compensation.

"I know, but what's the point of doing it if you don't get a sexy man at the end?" She turned the music back up; Edwinn Starr was now blaring out. I gave up.

"Hmmm, I could be totally wrong with this, but don't people go to boot camp to stay in shape?"

"Not me!" She grinned.

Rosalie Hale was one of those sickening people who'd never done a day's exercise in her life and still looked like a pin-up girl.

"How are you going to do it without breaking into a sweat? It's not a walk in the park you know."

"We're beginners. They can't expect us to do much on our first class," she mused. "And don't even think about getting all competitive. You're there to make me look good."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to look worse than you when you collapse in a heap," I teased.

"I will not! It can't be that bad."

I kept quiet. It was going to be hilarious.

.

.

We met up with Ali in town later that afternoon, so Ro could buy some workout gear. Exercise wasn't a concept she understood, but clothes shopping was. She dragged us from shop after shop, looking for the perfect outfit. We both sat patiently in changing rooms as she paraded one ensemble after the other for our verdicts.

I always loved the part in movies when the protagonist gets a makeover, the quick changes and twirls set to some cheesy '80s music.

It was absolutely nothing like that. I started to think I should recommend it as a form of torture for interrogating terrorists. I actually liked buying new clothes, but this fashion parade was killing me.

"So, are you looking forward to tonight?" Ali asked. She was all for us joining her. She worked hard and played harder and was one of those crazies who went to the gym at 6 a.m.

"Not really." I sighed. "I have to stick with Ro and 'make her look good.'" I quoted with my fingers.

"What are you going to do, hop around on one leg?" she joked.

We both ran together regularly and loved winding Ro up about being such a lazy slob. She maintained we were both just jealous because she didn't need to exercise.

We probably were. A bit.

"What about this?" Ro burst out from behind the curtain in tight black leggings and a pink-cropped sports bra.

Ali burst out laughing. "You are going to freeze! You do realize it's going to be dark, muddy, and wet?"

I groaned and put my head in my hands. No matter what they said, I was not getting muddy.

"Look, just get that outfit and a thin jacket. That pink one you tried on 375 outfits ago," I begged.

"Fine." She huffed dramatically, pulling the curtain back across.

"Should we bet how long she'll last?" I looked at Ali.

"Yes! Ten minutes before she has to fake an injury."

"She's stubborn. I'll go for half an hour, and whoever loses buys the first round on Saturday."

"I can hear you, you know," Ro grumbled from behind the curtain.

"Deal," Ali whispered and winked.

.

.

Later that evening, the three of us arrived at the meeting point. Two ready for boot camp, and one who looked like she'd lost her way from a catalogue photo-shoot. Ali wore her yellow jacket and black running leggings; I wore the same, all in black.

The huge meathead soldier was taking roll call again. We approached him, Ro leading the way with a sashay worthy of Marilyn Monroe.

"Hello, ladies." His booming voice startled me from my inconspicuous search for Sex-on-Legs.

"Hello, soldier," Ro purred seductively. "This is our first time here." She gestured to herself and me. "Rosalie Hale and Bella Swan."

"Ahh, lookie here. We've gots ourselves some A-mericaans," he drawled in a crappy Southern accent. "I'm McCarty." He grinned, dimples deep in his cheeks.

Ro rolled her eyes at me, and I didn't miss the quick up and down he gave her either. He was searching the list for our names when Ro leaned in, a classic move, displaying her ample cleavage in the process.

"Here we are." She pointed to our names, looking up at him from under her eyelashes, before flashing him a dazzling smile.

"Great, thanks." He smiled, his eyes lingering on her for a moment.

At that rate, it would be our first and last class.

"You might want to start in beginners for your first time, to get a taste of what it's like," he addressed both of us. "Blue bibs for beginners, red for intermediate, and green for advanced. You can move up next week if you want."

"Thanks." Ro gave him a final flutter of her lashes, before she headed to the bins. His eyes followed her ass the whole way. He caught me looking and shrugged his shoulders with a wry grin. I shook my head laughing; he had no idea what he was dealing with when it came to Ro. He didn't stand a chance.

We grabbed blue bibs, and Ali went straight for green.

Two other soldiers arrived, joining McCarty. All three were dressed in camo pants, boots, and navy t-shirts with the BAF logo. They chatted in a group, preparing huge backpacks with water and equipment. McCarty would probably need that pack later to carry Ro back in. Sex-on-Legs was there, along with another tall soldier I'd not seen before who had slightly curly, dirty-blond hair.

Finally, they came over to where the group was waiting. Sex-on-Legs was looking every bit as gorgeous as I remembered. He turned to face the awaiting class and smiled a crooked grin.

The clouds parted, and angels came down from the heavens singing "Gloriana" and playing trumpets. Okay they didn't, but if it was possible, I had no doubt it would have happened. At least three girls passed out.

"Hey, everyone, get in your groups and let's get moving!" he shouted, clapping his hands.

Ali went with the rest of the greens, wishing us good luck as she passed. Everyone started to run in place, as he shouted out commands.

"FASTER, SLOWER, SPRINT."

"Right, you lovely lot, now you're all getting warmed anyone have any injuries?"

I took my chance to gaze at him as he discussed various ailments with people in the class. Oh man-oh-man. I didn't even know they created men that attractive in the real world.

With his tousled brown hair, scruffy stubble, and green eyes, he looked like an ad for cologne. I wondered what he'd smell like. I'd have to get a bit closer to investigate. And that jaw. Oh my God. I had never in my life seen something so … lickable. Yes, lickable. To have that stubble brushing against my neck as he kissed the sensitive part behind my ear, or even better, scratching up the inside of my—

"Bella has a fat ass." Ro's voice rudely interrupted my daydream. The whole class burst into laughter, and it took my brain a few seconds to register what the bitch had said.

Please, ground, swallow me up now.

"WHAT?" I glared at her and then the solider who was laughing along. I swore he was slyly trying to see if I did indeed have a fat ass.

"Cullen." She nodded toward the soldier. "Asked why we joined." She smiled smugly.

"Oh really … was it not because you're a dirty sl—mphmhmhmph—" I started before she slapped her hand across my mouth, cutting me off.

"Okay, ladies, let's not fight. You'll need all your energy tonight." Cullen interrupted us, winking at me. He was going to have to stop unleashing all his sex appeal like that; my knees were starting to feel wobbly.

"First things first, Blues are with McCarty, Reds with Whitlock, and Greens with me," he shouted above the noise of everyone's feet, pounding the floor.

Damn it, no more ogling for me.

"Round the tree and back to your groups when I say go." He pointed to a huge oak tree on the other side of the field. "Last one back from each group does twenty sit ups."

I looked at the field; it was a swamp. There was no way in hell I was going to be lying in that. Screw Ro.

I gave her a dirty look just before he yelled, "GO!" I shot off like a bat out of hell.

Matching stride with Ali, we both made it around quickly. I was the first back to the Blues. Looking over to the other groups, I saw Cullen was looking over in my direction. He raised an eyebrow at me. Shit.

Looking back, I was glad I wasn't in his group; I wasn't sure I could function properly with him around. I forced my eyes back to the race.

Ro looked like she was struggling slightly; I grinned with amusement as she made it back, luckily not in last place.

She barreled into me, panting hard, her face flushed a bright red.

"I can taste blood in my mouth. "She gasped, her hands on her knees. "Is that normal? Maybe I need to go to the hospital."

"All I've got to say is I told you so." I laughed at her. "No mercy after that stunt you just pulled."

"I did that for you!" she spluttered, before erupting into a coughing fit.

"How is telling everyone I have a fat ass for me?"

"I saw you drooling all over him. I simply pointed you out. At least he knows who you are now."

"Are you kidding me?" I screeched. "Honestly, sometimes I could strangle you."

"Trust me, B, I just gave him the perfect opportunity to check you out, and when he sees your peachy be-hind, he'll come running. Then _you_ will be thanking _me_!"

"Oh my God. Zip it." I held my hand up, to exaggerate my point. She licked it.

"You are disgusting." I cringed, wiping it on her jacket.

"I know, but that's why you love me." She winked.

The next part of the class wasn't too bad: relays up and down the field in teams. I kept an eye on Ro, who looked on the verge of passing out. She eventually gave up, feigning a sore ankle to get out of the last run.

Bingo, free beers for me. McCarty sat next to her on the floor, checking her ankle, while she gave an Oscar-winning performance. We didn't see the other teams after the warm up; they had all run off in different directions, but I found my thoughts returning to Cullen. Damn him and his glorious face.

Eventually, he was as far from my mind as possible. McCarty had ordered us to crawl along a ditch, on our hands and knees, through and over old tractor tires.

Fuck my life.

I may have crouched by a puddle for five minutes, like a big baby, refusing to put my hands in the sludge. He gave me two options:

One – do it and get muddy

Two – do it and get muddy, then do it again.

Never again. Ever.

Everyone else seemed to think that was the most enjoyable part of the class. Even Ro was prancing about, splashing mud around, like it was a totally normal thing to do.

Are they crazy?

It was getting dark, it was freezing, and I was covered in mud that reeked of crap. Ro was going to owe me big time for this. I cringed looking down at myself; I wasn't sure I could have gotten more mud on me if I tried.

At the end of the class, we walked back to the meeting point. I held my hands out in front of me, like a zombie, and marched straight up to McCarty.

"Is there somewhere to get this mud off?" I shoved my hands at him. He threw his head back and guffawed loudly. Not the response I was hoping for.

"Just rub them on your clothes," he suggested, before walking away to the van.

I stood with my mouth opening and closing like a fish. Why didn't anyone else think this was an issue? There wasn't a clean inch on my body. Everyone began to put their bibs back into the boxes that were lit up under the street lamps. Peeling mine off, I scrubbed my hands on the inside as I searched for Ro and Ali. Ro had stripped right back to her sports bra, and I could hear her laughter as she flirted with McCarty. Interestingly, Ali was involved in a debate with Whitlock, talking animatedly with their heads close together.

"Well don't mind me. I'll just wait here," I grumbled to myself.

Cullen appeared beside me, making me jump.

"Dirty enough?" He smirked as his eyes roamed over me.

"I hate dirt," was all I could think to say. Idiot.

"Really?" He laughed. "Could have fooled me. Looks like you've been rolling in it."

I scowled at him. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to punch him or mount him. I wasn't feeling my hottest, so punching was looking like the more appealing option. Instead, I huffed and turned away, deciding that assaulting one of the instructors was probably not a good idea. I heard him chuckling to himself.

As I was about to spin around and call him something totally offensive, he leaned in to me, his stubble brushing against the sensitive part of my neck as he whispered in my ear.

"I want you in my group next week."

Oh shit.

…

**AN: Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think. x **

**I'm on twitter at - sparrownotes24 if you want to come and chat.**


	3. Crunches

**This chapter has now been beta'd by the lovely Jcat5507 and evelyn-shaye from Project Team Beta. Thank you ladies. I've now learnt what a gerund is!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**AN: Hello to all my new followers and thank you so much for the reviews. xx**

**~0~0~0~ CRUNCHES ~0~0~0~**

I awoke the next morning to loud muttering. Peeling open one eyelid, I could vaguely make out Ro hobbling around the room like an old woman. I rolled over, hiding my face in the pillow to muffle my laughter. This clearly didn't work, as two seconds later, my covers were rudely ripped off.

"Don't you dare laugh!" she snarled. "Get up and help me. I can't even put my boots on."

"I'm sorry," I lied. It was just too funny.

"I'm aching all over, and I can barely move," she whined, shuffling to her desk and gathering all her papers. "Owwwww! My arms are too sore. I can't even lift _them_ up, never mind my text books."

I could feel my laughter bubbling up again as she demonstrated, halfheartedly, lifting her arms a few inches before they flopped back down. "The more you move about, the better it'll be. You haven't done exercise in, well ... _ever, _so you are bound to be stiff." I got up and helped her pack her bag. To be honest, my arms and back were a bit sore, as well, so I could imagine how achy she felt.

I had to bite my lip as she lowered herself slowly onto the bed and gingerly lifted her feet. My shoulders shaking with silent laughter gave me away as I zipped her boots up.

"Next time you need any help, you can go screw yourself." She tried to get up and groaned, falling back down. "I can't function like this. How am I supposed to get through a whole day like an invalid?"

I grabbed her arms, helping her up. "You'll be fine. I promise." I pushed her towards the door. "I'll see you later. Suck it up and have fun, Grandma!"

She shot me a look of disgust. "You are evil."

.

.

We'd decided to rendezvous at Ali's place to analyze the events of the previous night. It seemed we had all experienced a sexy soldier overload, and as only a group of girls can, we rehashed every minute detail over and over again, until it was as clear as mud.

When I say we, I mean Ro and Ali. I just enjoyed the show accompanied by a glass—o r four—of wine.

We were already slightly drunk when Ro jumped up off the bed and immediately fell on the floor, grasping her thighs.

"Ahh too quick, too quick, pain, pain, ouch owwwwwww." Wine snorted out of my nose before I could stop it. Laughing hysterically, I clutched onto Ali, who had tears rolling down her cheeks.

Ro grabbed the edge of the comforter, pulling herself upright. "I am not going to forget this, you cackling witches."

"I'm sorry." Ali wiped away the tears and mascara trail from her cheeks. "I don't mean to laugh."

Ro waved her hand at us. "Shut up and listen, you two. I've got an idea. I think we need to even out the playing field."

I arched my eyebrow at her, not sure where this was going. Not sure I wanted to know either.

"They're all macho and magnificent in their uniforms, while we have to run around like sweaty, headless chickens covered in mud and—"

"A sweaty, headless chicken? That's not your finest analogy, Ro," Ali quipped.

"Don't start bringing out all your big words, missy! Analogy, my ass. Anyway, if a chicken were going to get its head chopped off, I'd imagine it would be sweating, right?"

"She did go to school. Honestly," I informed Ali.

"Ha, hardy ha. You're missing the point. What I mean is, we need to show them how we look at our best." She was clearly pleased with this plan—her eyes were gleaming.

"Don't even think about asking me to wear something ridiculous to the next class." I pointed at her accusingly.

"No, not to _our_ next class." She grinned. I could practically see the cogs turning in her mind and hear the clicking as her plan came together.

"Ali, is there a class tonight?" she continued.

"Yep, it starts at eight. Why?"

"Pull me up," she ordered, grabbing my hand. Once she was up, she flung open the cupboard and starting rifling through Ali's clothes. Finding what she needed, she turned and threw them at us. "Get dressed—we're going out."

.

.

An hour and numerous shots later, we were all dressed to the nines and raring to go. I wasn't sure why we'd agreed go along with this plan, but all our niggling doubts had been doused in copious amounts of tequila. "Operation Sex-Me-Up, Soldiers" was well and truly back on course.

We stumbled down the hallway: a combination of alcohol, sore muscles and too-tight shoes. The plan was simple, really. Our night out at the local bars would commence with a strategically planned walk—right past the boot camp meeting point. I knew it was ridiculous but I'd lost my common sense a few drinks ago.

Ro had shoved me into one of Ali's tiny skirts. It was a teal green number that worked with my black vest and matched the dangerously high black heels, which were cutting off the circulation to my toes. Ali wore a tight, midnight blue dress with nude heels, and Ro was a blonde bombshell in a silver-sequined shift dress. We were a tad overdressed.

We strode down the path like supermodels. Well, since Ro was still limping, and Ali and I were drunkenly weaving all over the place—supermodels may have been an overstatement.

Turning the corner, we spotted the van in its usual place. The three unsuspecting targets were milling around, setting up for the class.

"Ready, girls?" Ro whispered. Side by side, we sashayed along toward them. The clicking of our heels alerted McCarty, who nudged Cullen with his elbow.

"Hello, boys," Ro addressed them. Whitlock had appeared, and all three were then stood to attention.

"Ladies." McCarty winked; the other two nodded hello. "Off out on the town tonight?"

Cullen appraised me slowly from top to toe. His gaze lingered unapologetically on my exposed legs before his green eyes returned to meet mine. Heat surged through my body under his scrutiny, which left me feeling naked. I could hear the others talking in the background, their words not registering, as finally he gave me a lazy grin.

"Hey," he greeted, his voice gravelly, deeper than I remembered. "You scrub up well." A mischievous glint danced in his eyes.

"I tried." I shrugged my shoulders, trying to appear nonchalant and not totally wasted. "It's not easy getting all that mud off, you know."

"Yes, you were exceptionally dirty, if I remember rightly." _Oh shit._

Buoyed by the alcohol flowing through my veins, I nodded. "I still am." _Oh my God. Did I just say that out loud?_

His eyes widened in surprise, before he laughed and raked his fingers through his hair. _I definitely had. I'd said it out loud._

"So, where are you all off to?"

"Oh you know, just going for a few drinks and a dance." I hoped he wouldn't notice that I'd clearly already had more than enough to drink.

"You still coming with me next week?"

The only thoughts going through my mind that second were of the dirty variety. My mouth went dry as I tried to form a coherent sentence without blurting out, "Take me now. Anywhere, anyhow, just do it_."_ _Oh crap._

He was still waiting for an answer, but his smirk told me he knew exactly why I had gotten all flustered. If he made any more innuendos, I would pass out.

"Yes, I'm coming," I managed to spit out. Seriously, what was wrong with me?

"Good. I look forward to putting you through your paces." He raised one eyebrow and gave me a crooked grin. Clearly this was his tried and tested panty-dropping smile. This man knew exactly what he was doing, and I wasn't sure I liked it. Though my body, evidently, had other ideas.

"We shall see." I turned and grabbed Ro's hand, tugging her away. "Come on. The boys are waiting for us." She furrowed her brow at me for a second before catching on.

"Right, see you guys next week," she addressed Cullen and Whitlock. "Bye, Emmett." She saved her best smile for him.

"Emmett?" I mouthed at Ali, who rolled her eyes before saying her goodbyes too.

As we walked away from them, I started to get more annoyed with myself. What was I doing? Why on earth was I letting him affect me like that? He was obviously an expert at seduction and probably had women fawning all over him on a daily basis. _In fact_, I thought as I started to get more exasperated, _I bet he collects notches from each of his classes on his bedpost. Well, he's not adding me to his tally_.

"Mission accomplished, ladies?" Ro asked before turning to look behind us.

"Yep, Whitlock certainly enjoyed my dress. Although, I would have preferred if he'd addressed my face rather than my breasts. I'll let him off this time, though, since they _were_ displayed so nicely." She giggled.

"B?" Ro elbowed me. "Looked like you were having a pretty intense moment back there."

I scoffed before answering, "He's driving me insane. He thinks he's God's gift to women, which he probably is, but damn it, that's beside the point." This was so frustrating. "Stupid, sexy shit."

Ro and Ali burst into fits of giggles that made my drunken ass laugh, too.

"Maybe, B, but he was the only one who watched us walk away. I'd say he wants you. Badly." She put her arm around my waist. I ignored her, shaking my head.

"So, who are these boys we're meeting anyway?" She nudged my hip with hers.

"Totally imaginary. I just wanted to fuck with him. He's way too confident in his ability to seduce me."

Alice giggled. "B, that is _exactly_ what he was doing. I saw the looks passing between you. They were pure lust."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't need to know he's having any effect on me. For now, anyway."

"Make him work for it," Ro added.

"Don't worry—I plan on doing just that. By the way, Ali, I think you owe me a drink?" I pointed at the bar up ahead.

"I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."

"Nope, I want to get drunk."

"I think you're plenty drunk already!" Ali teased.

"Hey, you're not getting out of it that easily. I wanna get drunk and dance all night with my girls and forget about sexy, irritating, totally fuckable men in uniforms, with hair you just want to grasp as he poun—"

"Okay, okay we get the picture!" Ro screeched as they both laughed.

I was way too drunk.

I was also passed out in the bar an hour later. Yep. Classy.

.

.

The night of the next class, we donned our workout gear, freshly washed after last week's mud bath. My clothes had turned out okay, but my running shoes were decidedly grubby. I sighed. "Hurry up, Ro, we've only got five minutes." She was never on time. Ever. It drove me nuts.

"Hang on. I'm just doing my makeup," she called from the bathroom.

"Why the hell are you doing that? It's only going to be running down your face in five minutes."

"Have you never heard of waterproof mascara?" she explained as she came in and grabbed a hair band off the dresser, proceeding to shape her golden locks into a tousled bun. _For the love of God._

"Have you forgotten what last week's class was like? The mud, the sweat, the dribble … I could go on. Maybe you went into shock and your brain has erased the bad memory?"

"If I'm gonna look bad, then I might as well start by looking good. Then I won't look as bad at the end as I would if I'd not bothered to try at the start."

_What the ever-loving fuck?_ "I love you, Ro, I do, but you talk absolute bullshit sometimes."

"We'll see. Are you not even going to do anything with your hair?" She tugged on my pony-tail.

I slapped her hand away. "It's done."

Sighing to herself, she headed downstairs. I followed, glancing quickly in the mirror and adjusting my hair. She was so annoying.

Ro opened the front door before halting her footsteps and letting out a little squeal. It was raining. Not a shower or a drizzle. A monsoon. I spun round on my heels and headed back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Ro was still holding the door open grimacing.

"The class will not be happening in this weather. No way."

"Oh." She pouted. "I was really looking forward to seeing Emmett."

"I know, but maybe we can go to a different class later in the week or something. Come on, we can watch a movie instead. I've got some toffee popcorn somewhere."

"That does sound better than getting drenched," she agreed.

I was rifling through our DVD collection when Ro's phone rang. I heard Ali's voice screech from the other side of the room.

"We thought it would be cancelled," Ro replied as she started running around grabbing her jacket and shoes. Shoving her feet back into them, she started gesticulating at me to get ready. "Okay, we'll see you in a minute."

I shook my head. Nope. Absolutely not. No way. I was not going outside in that.

"Okay put him on … Hi, Emmett." Ro smiled. "Yep, I am." She was blushing now. _Jesus._ "Okay, we'll be there." She laughed at something he said and waggled her eyebrows at me. "Yep, I'll tell her. Bye." She snapped her phone shut and threw it on the bed.

"Cullen said to get your pretty little ass down there and meet the Greens over by the hill." She grinned at me with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Nope." I exaggerated my point by lying down on the bed.

"Get up," she ordered.

"Nope. Nada. Nicht. Nein. Non. NO. Comprende, amigo?"

She strode over, picked my beloved iPod up and held it over a glass of juice that was sitting on my desk. "Get up, or the iPod gets it."

She faked dropping it, so I launched for her, which made her fumble it again. The sound of metal against glass as it bounced off the edge nearly gave me a heart attack. Luckily for her, it bounced on the desk. "Oops, sorry! That was close." She grinned, snatching it up again. "Are you coming or not?"

"Fine, but when you can hardly move in the morning, you can get someone else to help, AND if I die from pneumonia, you can tell my parents why." I stomped to the door, and she followed me chuckling. Bitch.

The rain hadn't eased off at all. Not in the slightest. Shouldn't there have been a severe weather warning? Maybe a siren that warned you to stay indoors? I could only hope.

We ran to the meeting point. The Blues were still there, so Ro joined them. McCarty handed me a green bib and pointed to the trees in the distance. I was drenched before I'd even started. This was so stupid.

I sprinted, water squelching in my running shoes, toward this supposed hill Ro had mentioned. Funny, there was not hill in sight. My waterproof jacket was sticking to my skin uncomfortably. Describing it as waterproof was an exaggeration; the rain was running down the inside of the sleeves. _Great. Just great._

Arriving with the rest of the group, Cullen caught my eye. "Nice of you to join us, Swan." So it was Swan now, was it? I grimaced at him. "Since you were late and missed the warm-up, you can do two laps of the field while we set up the hill runs." As he said this, I noticed there was in fact a hill. We were standing at the top of it. This did not look good.

"I just ran here. I think I'm warmed up enough. Thanks," I grumbled.

"I'll tell you when you're warmed up. Round the field. Twice. Now!" He used his domineering army major voice. If I hadn't been so irritated by the situation, I would have definitely been turned on.

"Evil bastard," I muttered as I started to run.

"I heard that!" he shouted after me.

"Well, that's 'cause I said it out loud," I replied irritably, his laughter ringing out behind me before he started addressing the rest of the group. _What an ass._

The whole way round, twice, I kicked myself for letting him blind me with his good looks. Damn him and all his perfection. He was a cocky bastard probably used to girls falling at his feet. Well, not this girl. No way.

When I arrived back, he was nowhere to be seen, but the class was split into groups, each doing a different circuit exercise. Push-ups, crunches, squats or running down and back up the hill, one at a time. That looked hellish. Everyone who made it back to the top looked like they were on the verge of passing out.

A tall blonde guy, his hair plastered to his face by the rain, gestured for me to join his group, who were all doing squats. "Hey, you can start here. Make your way through each group, fifty repetitions of each exercise, then hit the hill. Cullen is at the bottom making sure we don't smack into a tree or end up in the river." He grinned. He was cute in a boy-next-door kind of way. "I'm Riley."

"Bella." I smiled at him.

"Nice to meet you, Bella. I'll give you a tip: the hill curves to the left at the bottom into the trees, so stick to the left hand side of the path. It's less slippery." He smiled kindly. Probably feeling sorry for me standing there looking like a drowned rat.

"Okay, thanks, I will." I started the exercise scanning the other groups for Ali. She was mid-crunch when she waved at me, mouthing, "What a dick." Presumably referring to Cocky Cullen. I grinned and rolled my eyes.

I made it through the squats and crunches, but I was pathetic at push-ups. I managed about three before my arms gave in, and I collapsed in a soggy heap. My arms had about as much strength as a twig. I hoped Cullen didn't have a spy watching me do the remaining forty-seven, halfheartedly, on my knees. I started to feel bad that I'd wound Ro up last week for her granny hobbling. This was hardcore, and I was going to pay for it in the morning.

Eventually, I was next in line to run the hill. I watched the girl in front of me half-run, half-slide down on her ass, before she tumbled into a bush. She struggled to untangle herself, and I could see her once lilac jacket was covered in mud.

She was gone a couple of minutes when she reappeared, crawling her way back up. She landed on her hands and knees at the top of the hill and proceeded to vomit. Jesus Christ, this was bad. Where the hell was health and safety to call this thing off?

"You better go." A small redhead appeared behind me. "He'll make you do it again if you take too long." He was a sadist. He had to be.

I set off down as fast as I could without slipping, keeping to the left hand side. My feet were sliding all over the place and gravity increased my speed until I was out of control. I hit the corner, managing to turn left, but just as I spotted that smug bastard standing under the shelter of the trees, I lost my footing. I flew forward hitting the ground with a thud before sliding into an ungraceful heap directly at his feet. Fabulous.

I groaned, spitting out mud that had ended up in my mouth, and started to push myself up. I felt his arm encircle my waist, helping me to stand.

"Shit, Swan, are you okay?" He actually had the decency to look worried.

I glared at him. "Yes, I'm totally fine," I lied. I would have been difficult to find an area on my body that wasn't sore in that moment.

It hadn't gone unnoticed that he still had his hand on my waist. The rain was dripping off his messy hair and running in rivulets down his face. I couldn't stop thinking how incredible he looked—or would look—naked in my shower. _Stop it. Stop it. Stop it._

He still didn't drop his arms. Instead, he pulled me closer to him. The hard lines of his body were pressed firmly against mine. _Holy shit._ This man was killing me.

And then he opened his mouth. "You don't have to throw yourself at me you know." His lopsided grin appeared.

That did it. I pushed him away from me and poked him in his chest. "Do not think for ONE second, that I would be interested in a self-centered, cocky bastard like you."

His smiled faltered for a second, before he grabbed onto my arm, pulling me back toward him. "Oh, I don't _think_ that." He hummed as he rubbed his thumb across my cheek, brushing away some dirt then moving it lower to brush lightly across my lips. "I _know_ it."

_What the hell?_ This man could not be any more infuriating. I slapped his hand away and wrenched out of his grip to make my way back up this hill. I managed to scramble up, but my lungs were burning and my legs were in agony. All I could think about as I lay on the field recovering, mindless of the mud and rain, was the feel of his hands on me and his touch on my lips. I was totally and utterly screwed.

**AN: Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts, the good, bad and the ugly …ok maybe not so much the ugly or Cullen will make you drop and give him ten ;0)**

******I'm on twitter at - sparrownotes24 if you want to come and chat.**

**xxxxx**


	4. Sprints

**AN**: Hey all, sorry for the delay on this chapter, but I have now had all my previous chapters and this one beta'd by the fab **Project Team Beta**. They had to start at the beginning to sort out my hot mess! You can go back and re-read them if you like – though I haven't changed any content only the horrendous grammar/punctuation!

This chapter has been beta'd by **Trilby 97** and **Alice's White Rabbit**. Thank you ladies!

Also want to say thanks to the lovely **GossipLips** who pointed me in the direction of PTB.

Enjoy x

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight.

**~0~0~0~ SPRINTS ~0~0~0~**

The loud whir of the coffee bean grinder and the aromatic smell of freshly made cappuccinos that hung in the air were the only things keeping me awake. I was suffering major writer's block. I'd come to a small coffee shop near the campus for some peace and quiet, hoping a change of scenery would inspire me. No such luck.

My books swamped the table, but no matter how much I read, or however many notes I made, I could not get any further along. Now my books were multi-colored: full of post-its, scribbles and highlighted quotes. It needed a damn contents page to find the right marker. I sighed in frustration and stuffed a piece of lemon and poppy seed muffin in my mouth. I needed a sugar rush.

A waitress sauntered over to my table, her eyes more focused on her hot-pink manicure than me. "Can I get you anything else?" she murmured, not even trying to hide her boredom. Clearly, having to serve me was a huge inconvenience. She was majorly pissed off that I'd been there all day. I'd caved already and bought numerous drinks, a bagel, some cookies _and_ the muffin to keep her happy. I was almost broke. Zero productivity and I was hemorrhaging cash.

"No. I'm good, thanks." I didn't want to risk her spitting into anything anyway. She huffed, loudly, her eyes zoning in on my mouth for a moment before she stomped away. I grabbed a spoon off the table and attempted to check my teeth in the irritatingly upside down reflection. Nearby, a chair scraped across the floor, but I was so busy digging the offending poppy seed out with my nail, I didn't react until I heard a chuckle.

"Did you get it?"

Oh no. I looked up into a pair of familiar green eyes, creased in laughter. I put the spoon back onto the table, a little too loudly. "Yes. Thank you for your concern." I tried to smile but it turned into a slight grimace, mortified that he'd seen me excavating bits of crap from my teeth. He continued to smirk, his eyes dropping to my mouth to check for any bits I'd missed. So annoying.

"Fancy seeing you here." He leaned forward and grabbed the last bit of muffin before cramming it in his mouth.

"It's okay. I didn't want that anyway," I huffed.

He laughed again, spraying crumbs from his mouth across my books.

"Do you mind! I'm trying to work here," I moaned brushing them off.

"Sorry," he mumbled, his mouth still full. I waited for him to finish, noticing that for the first time he wasn't dressed in his army gear. He wore a dark grey, marl hoodie and dark wash denim jeans. Seeing him in his army gear was one thing but seeing him like this was something else. Shame he was such a pain in the ass.

"I was just coming to grab a coffee, and I saw you sitting here preening yourself in the spoon, so I thought I'd say hi." He picked a book up off the table and flicked through the pages.

"Can you not have a normal conversation?" I cocked my head to the side studying him.

He gestured between us with his fingers. "What do you think this is?"

"This is _you_ irritating me as much as you possibly can and _me_ wanting you to go away."

"Aw come on. I'm only winding you up. What are you working on anyway?"

"If I tell you, will you go away?"

He gasped placing a hand over his heart, an offended look on his face. "You wound me."

I rolled my eyes. "It's an assignment on sociopaths and serial killers."

He raised his eyebrows before he answered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Wow, how cheery. I'd never have expected a girl like you to be interested in stuff like that."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? "It's for my degree and it's extremely interesting actually." I tried hard not to let him rub me the wrong way, but he obviously had a knack for it.

"Really. How so?" He sat forward eagerly, his elbows on the table balancing his chin on his hands. Honestly, how could one person be so exasperating?

I gritted my teeth before I tried to explain. "I find it fascinating, learning about the common personality traits of sociopaths." An idea slowly unfurled in my mind.

"Which are?"

"Well for one, they often exude charisma and charm." I tried to keep a straight face.

"Hmm." He pondered this for a moment before gesturing for me to continue.

"They can be overly attentive and have no sense of personal boundaries." I raised an eyebrow at him. He'd started to smirk at me, his eyes focusing intently on mine as I spoke. "Maintaining intense eye contact and things like that."

"Interesting … and what else?"

"They often engage in calculated seduction. Targeting certain women and not stopping until they have them." His smirk had broadened to a grin, and he rubbed the light stubble that peppered his jaw before sitting back, his arms crossed.

"They often have huge egos," I continued, his cocky posture riling me, "and they are _usually_ highly intelligent." I tapped my chin in thought, looking up for a moment before smirking back at him. "Perhaps that's where my theory falls down."

"You're beautiful when you get all angry. Do you know that?"

Words stuck in my throat as I processed what he'd said. I composed myself before rolling my eyes again. Pretty soon they would roll out of my head. "Last, but by no means least, they are pathological liars."

He leaned forward in his chair, and reached his arms across the table. His proximity to me made my heart rate speed up. "_That's _where your theory falls down I'm afraid." He brushed his finger, slowly, along the inside of my arm causing goose bumps to spread across my skin. A flash of heat skipped down my body at his touch. "I never, _ever_ lie."

I scoffed trying to conceal how his words and touch had affected me, pulling my arm away. "Have you finished?"

He sighed and, for a second, frustration flitted across his features before he stood up. "I have to leave now anyway or I'll miss my lecture."

"Lecture?" So he wasn't just here to purposely annoy the hell out of me.

"Don't look so shocked." He chuckled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "I'm studying for an Aeronautical Engineering degree."

I'll admit I was surprised. "Sounds … complicated. Is that planes and stuff?"

"Yeah and stuff. I was in the Army Air Corps." He shrugged and I wasn't sure he was willing to say any more. His posture had lost some of its usual swagger.

"Oh, right, makes sense." It didn't really but what did I know?

"I guess I'll see you next week?" He smiled at me. A genuine smile that made my stomach flip flop and totally obliterated the cocky bastard persona I'd grown accustomed to.

I felt bad for my total bitchiness earlier, so I offered him a smile in return. "Okay, but no more torture."

"Where would the fun be in that?" His lips curved back into a roguish grin as he winked. And—he was back.

.

.

For the rest of the week I kept my head stuck in my books, trying to finish the godforsaken assignment. Well, apart from the moments I found myself scanning the crowds of students for a glimpse of his messy … autumnal hair. Oh, hell. What an idiot. I had spent way too much time thinking of the perfect way to describe his hair. Bronzed, copper-toned, amber flecked. Seriously, it was beyond ridiculous considering I didn't even like him. Liar.

It was that damn smile. I couldn't get it out of my head. There was obviously more to him than the walking penis he loved to portray. And no matter how hard I tried to forget his voice and the smolder in his eyes when he called me beautiful, I couldn't do it. Okay, maybe I didn't try very hard.

.

.

By the time the next class rolled around, I'd put on my practical hat. I was only going to be in England for the year; I was not a slut and I really did not want to start a relationship. I've had way too many bad experiences. My last boyfriend cheated on me with a woman who dressed as a hot dog for a living. Seriously.

I'd more or less recovered from my swan dive at his feet in the previous boot camp. A few stubborn bruises still dotted my arms, and my knee felt a bit iffy. I prayed we wouldn't be doing anything too adventurous. Clearly, God hated me.

It wasn't long before the torture began, and I was attempting to run across the field with Ali clinging onto my back. She was alternating between barking out orders and swatting me on the ass to hurry me up. This wasn't so much a problem. What was a problem was that next in line on my team: a man. A short, sweaty man but still a man. Cullen watched me drop Ali and turn, ready for the man to jump on. I gave him the most shit-tastic glare I could muster. Of course, he just laughed.

Man alive. I have no idea how I managed to go two steps, never mind any further. My knees felt like they would pop out of their sockets. More disturbing though, was the heavy breathing in my ear and the sweat I could feel soaking into my back. Disgusting.

The final leg was a race back to the meeting point. I was only inches behind Ali when she suddenly tripped and slammed down to the ground, breaking the fall with her hands. A loud snap cracked through the air sending shivers coursing down my spine.

"Oh, shit. Are you okay, Ali? Oh, God. CULLEN!" I shouted as I knelt down next to her. She was cradling her wrist, sobbing. The rest of the group ran over, and Cullen joined me kneeling on the damp grass.

"Hey, you're going to be okay," he soothed, "let me take a look." She'd stopped bawling now and sat up clutching her arm. He gently took her hand in his. "Can you move it?"

She shook her head. "No, I think it's broken."

"It definitely is. I heard the crack." I winced at the thought, grabbing onto her other hand and squeezing gently.

"Come on. We need to take you to the hospital. Can you stand?" Ali nodded and Cullen helped her up, leading her slowly back to the parking lot.

"At least you'll get out of doing your work if it's broken," I offered. She burst into a fresh round of sobbing. Cullen gave me a "what-the-fuck" look. I had to backtrack quickly. "Look, I promise I'll help you with your work if you need it." I put my arm around her and she leaned her head onto my shoulder.

"Tha-ank-s-s." She sniffled.

I pulled away grimacing. "You've got snot on my shoulder." She at least laughed at that as she got into the van.

"Are you coming, too?" Cullen held the door open.

"Yeah, but can you get someone to tell Rosalie where we've gone? Her group hasn't returned yet," I asked climbing in.

"Sure." He ran over and left the message with one of the others.

The journey didn't take long, and we spent most of it laughing at Ali's ingenious curses at every jolt of the van. "Mother of Pearl" and "Flaming Nora" were my favorites.

She was ushered through to have an x-ray, which left the two of us alone in the small waiting room. For once he didn't have the first word, and we sat side by side on the rickety, orange plastic chairs quietly. I sat on the edge jiggling my leg, a mixture of worry and adrenaline from the ordeal racing round inside me.

He reached out and placed his hand on my knee, halting its rhythm. "Are you okay?"

"Yep, I'm fine. Just a bit worried."

"She'll be okay. Hopefully, it's a straightforward fracture and she won't need any surgery."

I spun round to look at him in horror. "She might need surgery?"

His eyes widened at my outburst. "No, no. Hopefully not. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

"S'ok." We lapsed back into silence. The jiggling of my knee had turned into shivers. I hugged myself to try and keep still. The chair was slightly rattling with each shudder.

Cullen stood up and pulled his waterproof jacket off. "Here, take this."

"I'm okay. Honestly, I'm not cold."

"Take it. I can see you shaking."

"I'm not shaking 'cause I'm cold, I'm just …"

"Just put the damn jacket on will you. Jesus H you're so stubborn." He shoved it into my hands. "I'm not being responsible for someone catching pneumonia as well as a broken wrist."

A frown formed between my eyes in response to his comment, as I pulled his jacket over my head. I'd like to say that as I put it on, his intoxicating scent surrounded me, a delicious mix of wood smoke and spices that exuded his masculinity. But it didn't. It smelled like crap: a combination of sweat, grass and damp clothes. I wrinkled my nose in distaste.

He chuckled. "You can blame Emmett for that. He was on washing duty and left all our kits drying in a heap on the floor."

I leaned back in my chair pulling my legs up to my chest. The shivering had calmed down somewhat. Resting my head on my knees, I turned to face him. Concern was etched on his face, and he was worrying at a chain around his neck, running his fingers back and forth along the silver links. "It's not your fault," I spoke softly, "Ali's wrist."

He sighed and rubbed his hands down his face. "I know, but I don't like anyone to get hurt on my watch." He looked vulnerable for a moment, and a little of my ice queen act toward him thawed.

I leaned into him slightly, nudging him with my shoulder. "It was an accident." I was rewarded with another candid, perfect smile. I would have to find a way to see that more often.

.

.

"Jeez! How long does it take to do an X-ray?" Ro had turned up, bringing a flurry of energy with her. She was pacing up and down, alternating between little huffs and inconspicuous glances at McCarty, who was talking to Cullen. I watched her closely. Especially fascinated by the flushed cheeks and rosy, bee stung lips she'd arrived with. A raised eyebrow from me had been silenced with a stony glare.

Moments later, Ali came through the door with her hand in a makeshift support, looking glum. "It's broken. Got to wait here for the doc."

She slumped down next to me. Ro joined her on the other side and fussed around her, patting her knee. "Can I get anything for you?"

Ali looked half asleep, painkillers I guessed. She glanced over at Ro and a second later sat straight up, now wide awake, and screeched, "Oh, my God! Who the hell have you been kissing, Rosalie Hale?"

McCarty just about choked a sound out and Cullen threw his head back, his deep laughter reverberating around the room. Ro looked like a kid caught with her hand in a cookie jar. I couldn't stop my laughter from bubbling up, Cullen's spurring me on.

At that instant, the door swung open and the doctor strolled in. He was a mountain of a man, tanned with short dark hair. His deep brown eyes swept the room and halted when they landed on me, lingering hopefully as he spoke. "Alice Brandon?"

I pointed at her as she answered sarcastically, "It's me, the one with the bandage on?" His eyes flitted to her as she waggled her bad arm at him.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Black. Let's go and get you sorted, shall we?" He had a friendly, open face: perfect doctor material. His gaze returned back to me and he gave me a warm smile on his way out. I couldn't help but beam back at him.

"Well that was … interesting," Ro deadpanned as the door swung shut.

I swear Cullen growled.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

**AN: *sigh* the grey hoodie. I'm sure you all know which one I mean, but I'll try and put a link in my profile and a pic on my twitter (at -SparrowNotes24). I'm a sucker for Originalward. **

**Thank you for reading. I love to hear your thoughts xx**


	5. Squats

**AN**: A massive thank you to all of you who reviewed, followed & added this story as a favourite. I squeal at every review & it makes my day :-)

Thanks to the fantabulous **GossipLips **who has made me a banner for this story – it's on my profile.

Go check out her drabble fic **On Edge.** It's hot hot hot!

This chapter has been beta'd by **TwilightMom505** and **GetDrunkOnVictory **from the brilliant **Project Team Beta**. Thanks guys.

Enjoy x

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight.

**~0~0~0~0~ SQUATS ~0~0~0~0~**

Surrounded by an excessive amount of cushions and pillows, Ali was propped up on her bed like the Queen of Sheba. Sitting Indian style at her feet, Ro was undergoing the Spanish Inquisition.

"So tell me." Ali paused for dramatic effect. "What were you doing on the night of the injury?"

"_The_ injury?" I teased before her icy glare cut my amusement short. Okay then.

"I was at boot camp from 7pm until 8pm." Ro was playing the defendant perfectly.

Ali sighed loudly, conveying her annoyance, but I spotted the slight twisting of her lips as she fought back her laugh. "Let me rephrase that. What were you doing between the time of 8pm and 8:15pm, approximately the same time that the victim was in agony and alone in the hospital, far from her loved ones."

"Hey!" I thumped her leg. "I was there."

"Yes that is factually correct: you were in the same place at the same time. However … you were otherwise occupied, luring unsuspecting men with your honey pot." She quirked her eyebrow, challenging me to argue.

"What? I was there with you the whole time, you big fat liar." Luring men? Seriously.

She slapped her hand down onto the bed. "Silence! Any more violence from you, young lady, and I'll have you escorted from this court." She was getting a bit carried away. I huffed and grumbled as I moved to sit at her desk. It was better to put some space between us, or I would end up whacking the drama queen—ahem, patient.

"Now, back to the question at hand." The volume of her voice stepped up a notch as she concluded. "Rosalie Hale, on the night of _the_ injury, did you or did you not spend time kissing a soldier when your only concern should have been for the victim?" She finished with a flourish, folding her arms across her chest and pouting.

Ro looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel, her face crimson as she nodded. "Yes, guilty as charged, ma'am."

"Whore bag." Ali launched a pillow at her head.

"Bitch!" she countered before she erupted into the fit of giggles she'd been holding back. Ali and I dissolved into laughter too.

Ro gulped in a breath, holding onto her side. "Honestly, I couldn't help it. He's so hot; I only managed about two minutes in the van before I jumped on him. We hadn't even left the parking lot."

"You might want to shut up and stop digging a hole for yourself," I teased, eyeing the incredulous look on Ali's face.

Ro stuck her tongue out at Ali. "Stop whining. You'll be pleased with me anyway." She had a smug look on her face.

"Oh will I? And why would that be?" Ali scowled back.

"Well, Emmett," Ro purred as a dreamy look floated across her face.

"EEmmmmett," we imitated like a pair of pigtailed five year olds.

She huffed and started again, ignoring our teasing. "Emmett has invited me to go out for his birthday on Saturday. They're heading to that new club, Venom."

Ali beamed at her. "Yes, that does please me, actually, a night free from you and your annoying face."

Thank God I'd gone to the hospital with her; she wasn't letting Ro off easily. Part of me was glad that I hadn't been otherwise occupied kissing a solider. Unfortunately, a larger part— a positively more infuriating part—wished I had been.

"Seriously, will you just shut up and let me finish," she moaned, "Whitlock invited you to come," she squeaked at Ali, before adding, "although, I don't know what on earth he sees in you." Ali gasped in mock annoyance before her displeasure was replaced by a blushing smile.

"Really? That's so sweet of him," she gushed before her face turned to abject horror. "I've got nothing to wear, and I've got this stupid cast on." She smacked it down onto the bed, wincing at the impact. We winced with her.

"Ali, don't do that, you idiot. Look, you can borrow anything of ours or we can go shopping. Your legs still work don't they, or have you had another injury somewhere along the line?" I adored Ali, but I had started to think she was a hypochondriac.

"Don't get snippy with me! You're just jealous that Cullen didn't invite you!"

"Don't be ridiculous. I am not jealous at all." Was I? No. Maybe. Oh fine, I was.

Ro chose that moment to pipe up, "Actually, Ali, when I said _you_ would be pleased with me, Whitlock wasn't the only reason." She gave me an apprehensive smile before she continued, "It's not just a night out at Venom, it's more of a weekend celebration."

"I didn't realize he was the Queen?" Ali scoffed.

"Ha, no he's not, but I do love his accent. It's a bit rougher than Prince Harry's, but honestly, I could have him whisper sweet nothings to me all day." She'd slipped back into dreamy mode.

"Excuse me," I interrupted, "can you please get to the point so I can start to think of excuses to get out of what ever it is you've got me into and ways to kill you without getting caught." I waved her to continue.

"Such a pessimist." Ro tutted. "They're going out for a meal on Friday night, then on Saturday they are going …" Ro grimaced at me before she mumbled, "… paintballing."

Seriously, not my idea of fun. At all. Good thing I wasn't invited.

"Ooh, I get it!" Ali sprung up, bouncing on the bed. "I can't go paintballing, so you need B to go with you." Ro nodded before turning the full force of her puppy dog eyes on me while Ali beamed like she'd just won first place in a spelling bee. I glowered at them both.

"Shame I'm not invited though." I shrugged and began doodling on some paper that was strewn across the desk.

The only noise in response was the tapping of fingers on a phone. It took me a second to put two and two together. "What are you doing?"

Ro didn't look up from her phone. "Texting Emmett to see if I can bring you."

"Ro, don't do that!" I yelled in horror.

"Too late." She smirked as the phone buzzed in her hand a second later. I banged my forehead onto the desk— numerous times.

She came and grabbed my ponytail. "Stop doing that; you'll damage the desk. Here, look." She shoved the phone in my face.

_**Damn right LeeLee! Cullen would kick my arse if you didn't bring Dirty Girl x**_

"I'm not sure which part of that I want to address first?" I returned to banging my head on the desk for a while before turning to look at Ro. "LeeLee?"

She shrugged and smiled like the cat that ate the canary.

"Tell him I can't come. I'm busy having my toe nails ripped out one by one."

She grabbed her phone and started typing. Ali peered over her shoulder, and they both started snickering.

"What?"

Ro held up the phone.

_**We'll be there x P.S Tell Cullen B's pissed he called her a girl. She's all woman ;0) x**_

_Give me strength. _"Ali, can I borrow your laptop a minute?"

"Sure, why?"

"Because I'm going to hit Ro across the head with it."

**.**

**.**

Saturday rolled round far too quickly. We were stuck in the middle of a field, in the freezing winter weather, surrounded on all sides by woods. Various ramshackle shelters and hay bales were dotted around the open area for cover.

McCarty bounded over to see us as soon as we arrived, sweeping Ro up into his arms and swinging her around. She looked like a tiny doll in comparison to his hulking frame. Cullen was kneeling on the floor loading up his gun with pellets. He looked up and waved before returning to his task. No matter what I thought about him, I couldn't deny that every time I laid my eyes on him, my body reacted, lust coiling in my stomach. I tore my eyes away from him, back to McCarty.

"Happy Birthday, McCarty." I smiled at his lovable face. There was no way you couldn't like this guy.

"Glad you come make it, Lee, you too, B. Hey, I'm a poet, and I didn't know it." He chuckled. "Come on over. I'll introduce you to everyone then we'll get divided into our teams."

He led us toward a group of around fifteen people, introducing us to some of his other military friends. They stood out in their full camouflage and war paint covered faces. Taking it super seriously I saw. I was beginning to feel out of my comfort zone. Actually, my comfort zone was a distant fantasy.

I began to lose track of names and faces after a while. However, someone's name I would remember was a petite blonde girl with giant boobs. Lauren. The main reason being that she had been practically straddling Cullen whilst applying the war paint to his face. I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd used her ample cleavage to help blend it in. He was enjoying it immensely. An irrational flash of jealousy surged through me as I watched their easy banter.

An attractive, leggy brunette, Angela, I think her name was, approached us. "Hey, here is your kit. Keep your clothes on under or it'll really hurt." Her smile was warm as she passed us the ugly khaki overalls. "Use this camo stick too."

"Thanks for the warning."

We both must have grimaced because she laughed. "I hope you're ready for this, girls. They don't mess around these soldier boys." She gestured towards them. "I'd find somewhere to hide and stay in it or tag team with someone." She smiled and wandered back over to the main group.

We got ready and had more fun than was probably necessary painting our faces. As they called out the teams, Ro started to look terrified.

I couldn't help myself. "Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Shut up, you didn't put up much of a fight about coming." She was called over into McCarty's team. Surprise surprise.

"I didn't put up a fight because I had a revelation," I called after her.

"What revelation?" She turned back waiting for my answer.

"Oh, just that I'm an ace shot. Having a Dad who's the chief of police comes in handy, _and_ … I'm faster than you." I quirked my eyebrow at her, cocking the paintball gun under my arm.

"You can't shoot your own team, you dumbass. I asked Emmett for us to be together." She pouted.

The countdown began over a megaphone, and moments later, a familiar deep voice spoke up from behind me. "Looks like you're on my team, Swan."

I ignored him, smiling mischievously at Ro. "Seems the plans have changed. I think you'd better run."

She yelped and scampered straight toward McCarty, following him into the woods. The rest of my team had disappeared with the exception of Cullen who was smirking. "That was hot."

"Shut up," I responded before running straight for the cover of the woods away from him.

I threaded my way through the undergrowth, ducking under branches and keeping an eye out for the enemy. I was totally getting into it. I think it was the war paint. Spotting a small shack up ahead, I made my way toward it. Crouching down next to the wall, I scoped out the area. No one was around. I needed to work out the best path to get to the other team's base. Pulling the crumbled map from my pocket to try and find my location, I was startled by a moan from inside the shack. "Ooh, Emmett."

What the fuck? Ro. Seriously could this not have waited? I hesitated for a second, deciding whether to leave them to it or bang on the door. Further moans and panting, that I'll want wiping from my mind, gave me a better idea. I shouted, "Rosalie Hale, get out here!"

Silence was followed by hushed whispers before they both emerged looking dishevelled. All Ro needed was a cigarette hanging out of her mouth with her mussed up hair, and it would have been a perfect post coital picture. I sincerely hoped it was not. We would have to have words.

"Hello, Ro. Not what I had in mind when I said for you to run." I laughed, and unloaded a few rounds into them both. Evil, I knew. They'd both left their guns inside, their minds on other things, clearly.

"You bitch!" she shrieked, rubbing her thigh. "That hurt."

"Right, that's it, Swan, you're dead meat!" McCarty grinned sadistically, running to grab his gun. Oh shit sticks.

I tuned on my heel and sprinted as fast as I could in the opposite direction. I got hit a few times as I ran, and it hurt like hell, but the adrenaline pumping round my body helped me to ignore it. I could hear someone crashing through the woods behind me whooping: McCarty. I started to laugh nervously as I ran. The whole thing was ridiculous but so, so fun.

Grabbing the map again, I tried to work out where I was heading whilst still running. Evidently, I can't multitask: I tripped over a raised root and fell down a bank, rolling over like some kind of ninja and landing on my feet. I'll admit: I was impressed with myself.

As the woods became denser, the noise of my pursuers had died down. I slowed to a walk, straining my ears for sounds of twigs snapping that signalled someone was nearby, but I could only hear the noise of the leaves rustling in the wind and crunching under my feet. Finding a path, I decided to follow it, hoping it would lead somewhere I could find on the map. Within seconds, I heard laughter headed toward me. Panicked, I darted off the trail back into the woods. My heart slammed in my chest.

Suddenly, hands grabbed me and swung me round, a hand pinned over my mouth, silencing my scream. "Shhh" was whispered in my ear, my back pressed against their chest. Both of our breathing was laboured. I knew it was him. I tried to prise his hand from my mouth, but he held fast, so I bit him.

He whirled me around, pressing my back into a tree trunk. Leaning down, he caged me in with his arms; his face inches from mine. I pressed my palms into the rough bark; its cool surface lessened the fire that was building between us, giving me a moment's clear thought. I was about to speak when I looked up into his sea green eyes. They were darkened with desire. The usual cheeky twinkle was gone.

Electricity flickered and burned between us, and all the will I had to push him away melted, replaced by a fierce desire. My breathing hitched slightly as his tongue darted out to moisten his lips; his eyes flicked to my mouth. He remained still, breathing in each other's breaths for a moment. I realized he was waiting for a signal, a sign that I wanted him. I did, in that moment, more than I ever wanted anything before.

I lifted my hands from the cool trunk and placed them onto his chest, sliding them upwards across the defined muscles until I reached his neck. I paused for a second before rising up onto my toes, pulling him down toward me.

He brushed his lips against mine softly a few times; his stubble scratching my sensitive skin. I moved my hands up into his hair, tangling my fingers through the softness. He let out a small groan before simultaneously grabbing my waist, pulling me flush against him and smashing his lips against mine.

Deepening the kiss, his tongue met mine sending shockwaves down my body, creating a burn between my thighs. I moaned into his mouth. He tasted better that I could have ever imagined. It was too much. I couldn't breath. I started to pull away; he slowed and pushed me back against the tree kissing me once, twice on the lips. He kept his body pressed against mine; I could feel the effect I'd had on him pressed against my stomach.

"Mmmm," he muttered into my hairline, his lips brushing back and further against the soft hair.

"Yeah." Was all I could manage back.

"I've wanted to do that since the second I laid eyes on you." He stepped back slightly, keeping his hands on my hips, looking down at me.

"Really, 'cause it had only just occurred to me?" I joked, always the one with the jokes.

He laughed softy. "Liar."

"This is probably a really bad idea." Why was I saying this? I had no idea.

"How do you work that out?"

I tried to wriggle out from his grasp, but his fingers squeezed my hips keeping me in place.

"Well, you probably do this kind of thing all the time, but I don't, and I'm not going to be around for long, and I'm not a slut and—" I was babbling.

"You're babbling." He quirked an eyebrow reading my mind. "It's just one kiss; one that I hope will be the start of many."

"I won't be your fuck buddy." Jesus, I needed to turn on the filter between my brain and mouth.

He stepped back and released me before a frown crossed his face. "Who said anything about that?"

"No one, but you don't exactly strike me as the monogamous type." I was ruining this; I could tell. A hot and steamy kiss was now being ruined by me and my big mouth.

He sighed, "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you know."

"I'm not. I've had quite a good look inside the book too." I was totally judging him. I could feel my self-preservation and common sense sparking back into life. Where the hell was it when I'd been rubbing myself all over him two minutes ago?

He touched a finger to my chin and lifted it up so I was looking directly into his eyes. "You haven't even got past the first page." He leaned down and gently kissed my lips, lingering for a moment before turning and grabbing his gun. "We better head back, the game will be over soon." He strode off into the woods leaving me stunned. He could be so cocky and arrogant one minute then so intriguing the next. In that moment, he had revealed a little more of the real him. Perhaps I was wrong, and under all the bravado, there was someone worth getting to know. The problem was my time was running out.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

**AN: **Sooooo they've finally kissed. I hope it was worth the wait! Let me know your thoughts? Thanks for reading xx


	6. Lunges

**AN**: Hey to all my new followers. A big thank you to you and all those who left me reviews.

**Jcat5507**, **Bigblueboat** and **RaindropSoup **from** Project Team Beta ** have done a fab job ironing out all my creases (commas!). Thanks Ladies. I've been messing since so any mistake you see are all mine! Thanks to **MagTwi78** for helping me out of my word muddle this morning.

I was hugely excited this week when the lovely **GossipLips** rec'd this story on her blog **The Library**. I've put the link on my profile. Go and check it out; she has some great recs on there.

Hope you all enjoy, and have a fantastic weekend. I'm off to see the scrummy Daniel Craig tonight in Skyfall. Yum.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight, Ace Ventura or Prince. What a dinner party that would be. No copyright infringement intended.

**~0~0~0~ LUNGES ~0~0~0~**

The drive home was frosty. Ro refused to speak, spending the entire time staring out of the window with her back turned and arms folded. She peppered the silence with huffs and puffs, refusing to acknowledge my attempts to engage her in conversation. She even managed to remain straight-faced during my rousing rendition of Prince's "Kiss". I thought I was pretty damn good, but my singing had been likened to the distressed cries of cats being slowly strangled.

By the time she'd stomped up the stairs, slamming doors in my face— twice—I was at the end of my tether. I had to pull out the big guns.

"I kissed Cullen," I blurted out, sticking my head into the closet under the pretense of finding an outfit for tonight or finding Narnia, whichever would take longer.

My ears strained for her reaction, and for all of ten seconds, there was none. I swore she wasn't even breathing. The quiet didn't last long. Grabbing the belt loops on my jeans, she pulled me out of the closet.

"Excuse me?" She glared, her nostrils flaring as her face turned a worrying shade of crimson. "Am I mistaken, or did I just hear you say you kissed Cullen?"

I'd mistakenly thought a juicy snippet would win her over. No one loved to gossip more than Rosalie Hale. _Seems being shot at will change a person. _

I back-pedaled as fast as I could. "Nope. You _definitely_ misheard. I said 'My wrist's killin'… you know, from when I fell over in the woods?" She didn't buy it.

"Look me in the eyes and _tell me that again_." She poked me in the chest as she enunciated each word. Damn, she could be scary sometimes.

I sighed, resigned to the fact she was, quite possibly, going to bite my head off. "Okay, I'll tell you the truth, but first I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for shooting you. If I'd known how painful it was—which I'd like to point out I do now thanks to McCarty—I would never have shot at you, my loyal and closest friend in the whole wide world." I hoped that last bit would do the trick.

"Swan, get your head out of my ass, and spill it."

I took a deep breath before continuing, "Yes, I kissed him. I couldn't help it. He is just _too _… I don't know. Then I messed it all up. I don't want to get involved with him, but then I do. I really don't know what I'm doing, and you're not talking to me, but I need your advice. I think my brain may explode. I can't—"

My verbal diarrhea was halted when Ro threw hers arms around me and squeezed so tightly I couldn't breathe. "I forgive you," she said, releasing her grip slightly. "Just don't shoot me again, okay? It really, really hurts."

I laughed. "I won't. Scout's honor."

Ro sighed. "How many times do we have to go through this? You are not a boy, no matter how little your boobs are." She let go of me, wisely stepping back out of my reach.

"I'll let that go this time, 'cause I still feel a bit bad about the whole paint-balling incident. Anyway, they're not that little—they're a nice handful, or so I've been told." I grabbed them to make my point, frowning at her.

"Your mom does not count." Ro smirked. She knew me too well. "Now, come on. Tell me what happened."

We spent the next few hours discussing our woody liaisons while we got ready for the night out at Venom. Alice was meeting us there. She'd spent the afternoon working in the library. In hindsight, the library was the preferable place to spend an afternoon. Scrambling through freezing cold woods in squelching mud while being shot at by megalomaniacs with guns wasn't my idea of a fun day out. Even receiving unexpected kisses hadn't endeared me to it. Well, maybe that last part wasn't too bad. A perk, I suppose.

Ro decided it was best to act now and think later when it came to men. She was a realist and accepted that a fling with Emmett was all it would be, advising me to think the same way. Then in her best motherly tone, she'd given me the "safe sex" talk. She was a walking contradiction. I had absolutely no intention of letting it go that far. Honest to God.

Arriving at the club, we waited outside for Ali. The plum, strapless dress I'd wore provided no barrier to the bitter night air, and my teeth were chattering a staccato rhythm. No doubt my lips would be a lovely shade of blue by the time we got in. Ro had the good sense to bring a coat. Clever, as her peach baby-doll dress was walking a fine line between lingerie and clothing. McCarty was in for a treat.

Minutes before pneumonia set in, Ali arrived in a little black dress, her arm strapped across her body with a scarlet silk scarf.

"Erm, what's that?" I gestured to the makeshift bandage.

"What? I didn't want my ugly cast on show, and I'm gonna milk this injury for all its worth," she admitted honestly, striding past the bouncers in the VIP line without hesitation. They didn't even blink at her.

"We're with her." I pointed at Ali's disappearing figure. The bouncer, a scary-looking gorilla type, nodded and grunted at us to enter.

Winding down the dark corridors in Ali's wake, the throbbing sounds of music gradually increased. The walls of the club were black with rope lights crisscrossed around the edges, flashing various shades of red. It gave the impression you were walking into the Devil's lair. Machines puffed clouds of acrid smoke across the dance floor that immediately made my eyes water. Not good, as I was channeling a sultry, smoky-eyed siren tonight. Panda eyes were not in the plan.

I grabbed Ro's hand as she weaved her way through the crowds toward the bar, where I could see Ali bossing the bartender around. "It's a bit dark in here," I shouted over the music.

"It's supposed to be. This floor is Hell. Look." She pointed at a cage hung next to the dance floor where two scantily clad women, adorned with horns, gyrated against each other.

"Right." I watch them for a moment, mesmerized, wishing I had the balls to do something like that. A huge snake wound its way around the room, doubling up as the bar; its head rose up, towering over the dance floor where the DJ booth sat in its open mouth. The place was incredible.

Ali shoved a suspicious-looking red drink into our hands. It was so sweet I expected my teeth to fall out there and then.

"Make that last, ladies. We'll need to take out a loan to get drunk in here. Ten pounds … ten pounds for one drink! That's thirteen dollars!" she screeched.

Ro flicked her golden curls over her shoulder. "Don't buy any more. Emmett can get them."

"Ro, you can't expect him to buy all our drinks on _his _birthday," I chastised her.

"No, but he can buy mine. You can find some other sucker to buy yours." She laughed as her eyes scanned the club.

"Jasper said they're in the VIP lounge." Ali pointed to a flight of stairs.

"Who? And more importantly, why the hell would someone name their child Jasper? That's just cruel."

"Don't be so mean. I like it. It's … exotic. Anyway, Jasper is Whitlock, Whitlock is Jasper."

"Einhorn is Finkel … Finkel is Einhorn!" Ro and I shouted, bursting into laughter. Ali looked around the bar, embarrassed to be with us, before looking back at us like we were crazy.

She cocked her head, probably considering whether she should have us committed. "You two are weird."

We continued to giggle, earning a sharp look from her. "As I was saying, they're in the VIP."

I tried to calm down. Once we got the giggles, it was almost impossible to stop. "I didn't know you were having textual relations with Jas … Whitlock." I couldn't bring myself to call him that.

"Yep. He texted to see how my arm was, and one thing led to another and—"

"Oh my God! You didn't?" Ro interrupted.

"What … Nnnnoooo! Ro, you have a one track mind. I mean, he called me." Ali rolled her eyes.

"Oh, that's not as much fun." Ro pouted.

"Right. Like you don't mess around, getting down and dirty, missy." Ali wagged her finger at Ro.

"Hey. I'm on a short timeline here. We've only got eight months before we go home, so I'm not wasting a second!" She nodded determinedly.

"Aww, Ro, don't bring that up, or I'll get sad. What am I going to do without you?" Tears brimmed in Ali's eyes. Her talent was wasted in law; she would have made a sensational actress.

"Ah, Ali, come here." Ro scooped us all into a hug, spilling half my drink on the floor in the process.

I understood Ro's thinking, but knowing how hard she could fall, I was starting to worry that saying goodbye to Emmett would be a lot harder than she anticipated. The same worry tweaked at my mind. The effect Cullen had had in the short time I'd spent with him was so powerful; I was worried I was setting myself up for just as big a fall.

It took forever to push through the packed dance floor to the stairs, and my boobs and ass were groped on more than one occasion. I was thoroughly flustered by the time we found the guys.

We were in heaven. Literally, in heaven. The lounge was a shocking contrast to the club. Everything was white: white walls, white chairs, white tables, white floor. Pale blue and lilac lights dotted the ceiling, which was painted with silver-edged clouds. Blissful in comparison to the dark, steamy pit below.

McCarty's booming laughter alerted us to a large, raucous group spread out in one corner. He waved us over, shoving everyone up the couch to make room, pulling Ro onto his lap. It only took ten seconds before they started kissing, causing whoops and cheers from around the room. She was really taking this "no time wasting" seriously.

McCarty broke away from Ro's mouth long enough to order us some drinks. I surreptitiously looked round for Cullen, but I couldn't see him anywhere. I did, however, see a large pair of breasts hanging out of a measly attempt at a top. Unfortunately, they belonged to Lauren, who proceeded to push them out at me along with a fake smile. Maybe she thought someone who heralded from the land of small cleavage would run for the hills rather than compete with the twin peaks. She would be wrong. I gave her a polite smile. Inwardly, I cursed so badly my grandmother would have turned in her grave if she'd heard.

"He's not here," Ali whispered in my ear.

I scoffed and concentrated on fishing out a cherry from my glass. "Who's not?"

"You know who. Your eyes have been darting round the room for the past five minutes, and you nearly jump up every time a man comes through the door. You were starting to look slightly deranged." She kept her voice low thankfully, or I might have had to strangle her.

"You don't know me, Alice Brandon."

She threw her head back, laughing loudly. I grabbed her knee and squeezed it. "Shhhh!"

She continued to laugh. "Admit it."

"Fine!" I huffed, slamming my empty glass down. "I was looking. I'm not sure how he's going to react after this afternoon. I didn't get chance to speak to him after the game, and I wasn't exactly behaving in a sane manner after our kiss." I cringed as I remembered.

"B, we all know you're crazy, and that's what we love about you."

"I've lost it. I have. I hardly know him, and I'm already behaving like a lovesick teenager."

"Well, get to know him a bit more. Spend some time with him. And please, _do not_ use Ro as an example of how to get to know someone." We glanced over; they were still sucking each other's faces off.

I put my head in my hands and groaned. "He's too sexy for his own good. I'm not kiddin', Ali—it's like I lose all rational thought."

"Look, when he comes, why don't you just try talking to each other without the teasing, innuendos, or flirting?"

"It's not me who has the problem with that!"

"Okay, point taken. What I'm trying to say is, don't give away that you want to bonk him too easily."

"Bonk?"

"Shag, sex up, fuck, dirty dance, bang, slap and tickle, how's your father—"

"Ali, stop!" I held my hand up. "How's your father? I just … I mean … wh … No. Just no!"

"Hey, you need to know the lingo, or you could be agreeing to anything!" she warned.

"I think I'll manage! Now, I'm going to the restroom. Are you coming?"

"Erm … no … I think I'll just get another drink." I followed her gaze and saw Whitlock leaning against the bar, looking devilishly handsome.

.

.

Finding my way to the restroom wasn't easy. The corridors were either pitch black or lit up with black lights. After encountering several dead ends and avoiding walking into the amorous couples that littered the walls, I found a spare mirror. I attempted to save my eye makeup that was veering toward the smudgy rather than smoky look. On my way back, a girl tapped me on the shoulder and pointed at my feet. A long piece of toilet paper, neon blue from the black light overhead, trailed from my shoe. Thank God she'd told me, or I would have looked like a total idiot dragging it round. I thanked her and bent down to remove it.

"Now that's a sight for sore eyes."

I almost jumped out of my skin, hastily throwing the offending paper away from me. Why did I have no luck? Someone else must be getting all of mine. If Ro won the lottery next week, I was going to be pissed.

Cullen was casually leaning on the wall, his arms folded. Clearly, he'd been taking advantage of the view.

"Hey." Why had I become so nervous? I found myself straightening my dress, running my hands down it to smooth out the creases. All it did was attract his attention, and he ravished me with it, smirking.

"I love your dress. That color really suits you." He crooked an eyebrow at me.

Considering we were standing under black lights, I was dubious he could even see the color. "Your teeth look very nice too. Glowing, in fact."

He laughed, louder than my joke warranted. Again his gaze returned back to my body. Wow. I must have looked really good in this dress. I made a mental note to thank Ro.

Eventually, he straightened up and sauntered toward me. Leaning in, he kissed me on the cheek. I was relieved; he obviously wasn't perturbed by my reaction in the woods. Damn, damn, damn. He smelt fantastic.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"Sure."

He gestured for me to lead the way. I glanced back at him, catching him watching my ass. He didn't even notice I'd caught him he was so engrossed, which boosted my confidence somewhat. I may have exaggerated my wiggle slightly. Actually, a lot. I pulled out the sexiest sashay I could muster.

"What can I get you?" he asked, leaning his elbows on the bar.

"Anything, as long as it not the color of a rainbow or thick enough to stand a spoon in."

He laughed and ordered me a beer, surprisingly, just what I wanted.

"Cheers." I clinked my bottle with his as he gave me a dazzling smile. "Where do you want to sit?" I asked.

"I wouldn't mind going back into the corridor, but here's fine." He gave me a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes at him as he pulled up a bar stool for me. Now, in the brighter bar, I could fully appreciate him. He wore a dark green button-down; the shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows, baring forearms roped with defined muscle. A brushed silver watch adorned his wrist. Long legs, clad in black jeans, ended in black boots. I feared I might lose the ability to speak. The man was too delicious for words.

"So, I see Emmett and Rosalie are having a good time." He nodded toward them.

"If they start dry humping, I'm going to have to intervene."

He nearly spat out his drink as he laughed. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

He took a swig of beer, and I couldn't help but stare at him, somehow everything he did exuded sex. Mirroring him, I took a sip of my own, still unable to draw my eyes away from him.

"So, what's a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?" He grinned and stretched his long legs out under my stool.

"Is that your usual line?" I groaned.

"Did it not work?"

"Nope."

"How about … haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

I shook my head at him. "Too easy! Yes, that's why I don't go there anymore."

"Good one." He chuckled, drumming out a rhythm on the bar with his fingertips as he tried to outdo me. "Here's an oldie but goodie: Where have you been all my life?"

I couldn't help but laugh at him now. "Hiding from you … how the heck did you find me?"

"Oh, you're good at this." He paused thoughtfully for a second before a wicked grin appeared. "Your eyes are like spanners."

I did not see that coming. "I can't wait for this." I leveled my eyes at him, drinking my beer.

"Your eyes are like spanners … every time you look at me, they make my nuts tighten."

I spat my drink all over him and kicked his shin for good measure.

He held in hands up defensively. "Hey, you asked me!"

"I don't even know what a spanner is, but that was so bad." I laughed at him. "You don't honestly say that to girls, do you?"

He grabbed a napkin off the bar, wiping my beer off his jeans. "Not yet, but after your reaction, I might reconsider."

"How was my reaction good?"

"You're still sitting here, aren't you?"

"That's only because I'm worried I'll trip over your credibility that's fallen on the floor."

"Smartarse."

"Yep, and it's smartass." I grinned smugly.

"Oh, don't even go there with that!"

"Okay, okay. I won't." It was my turn to hold my hands up.

"So, tell me something about yourself." He leaned perceptibly closer to me; the volume of the music had increased, and the base was reverberating through the bar.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything. Surprise me."

I paused, trying to think of something. "I'm an only child."

"No, that's boring. Something else. Something that no one else knows."

"I have a duck called Julia."

"You can't make stuff up!" He shook his head and held up his index finger. "That's rule number one."

"I swear to God—I have a duck called Julia."

"I don't believe you."

"Okay, technically, it's my mom's. She's a chef."

His brows creased—his expression somewhere between appalled and confused. "She's going to cook it?"

"Nooo. It's for the eggs. They're very nutritional, you know. Julia is named after Julia Child … the famous chef?"

"Nope. No idea. I'll give you it for now, but I want to see proof of this duck at some point. Now, come on, tell me something no one else knows."

Crap. "Clearly, if no one knows, I want it to stay that way."

"Come on. Tell me a secret." He unleashed his crooked smile, and I was verging on spilling anything and everything.

I tried to stall. "How about you tell me something first. You show me yours, and I'll show me mine. I want to know what level of secrets we're talking here."

"Okay, I've got one." He shifted forward on his stool, moving his legs to either side of mine. One hand pressed against my thigh, the other resting on the bar as he spoke next to my ear. "All I can think about when I'm near you is how I want to taste every inch of your perfect body. It's driving me crazy how badly I want you."

Thank the Lord I had been sitting down, or I would have passed out. He didn't move back, momentarily pausing and brushing his nose slowly up my neck and across my jaw. I closed my eyes as my body trembled, desire hampering my breaths. I was on the verge of panting.

He sat back, and the absence of the heat from his body was a shock.

I struggled to form a coherent sentence. "Well … " I started, my voice husky "… that's very interesting but not strictly a deep, dark secret."

"How is it not?" He cocked his head to one side.

"Well, when people go around grabbing other people in woods and ki—"

"Edward, there you are!" A shrill voice broke into our bubble.

Edward? Not the name I would have guessed, but I'd work with it. Lauren pressed every available part of her body against him as she kissed his cheek.

"Hey, Laurie." He wrapped his arm around her waist as he hugged her. His eyes flicked to mine, and I was sure I'd seen a flicker of regret. Although, it could have been wishful thinking as his arm remained round her. I tried not to feel jealous, but little green flares were lighting me up inside.

"You remember Bella?" He said.

"Oh, yeah. Hi." She didn't sound too impressed to have to talk to me.

I had to fight the urge to respond directly to her boobs. "Hi, Lauren. It's nice to see you again."

She ignored me and went back to chatting and rubbing herself on him. I rolled my eyes, which Cullen didn't miss, and looked over for Ro. She was already on her way over. This was why she was my best friend.

I jumped off my stool, plastering a huge smile on my face. "Just heading to the Ladies room." I wanted to avoid Ro coming into contact with Boobs McGee.

He grabbed my wrist. "Bella, come back after?"

Lauren scowled. Her pretty face morphed into an ugly sneer before she rearranged it for his benefit.

"Cullen, go and woo the ladies. They're getting jealous of me, hogging your attention," I joked, eyeing Lauren. "I'll see you on the dance floor later. Thanks for the drink." I grabbed Ro and Ali as they arrived to save the day, diverting them toward the restroom.

"What's going on?" Ro asked as I pulled her along.

"Oh, nothing, just Boobs marking her territory."

"Boobs?" Ali looked confused.

"Lauren," Ro answered for me. "She was watching you two like a hawk. You need to go back in there, grab him, and tell him he's yours. In fact, tell him to get his hands of that skanky bitch and take him home for a good hard fuck."

"Rosalie!" I gasped, narrowing my eyes at her. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Only three," she said as her eyes twinkled mischievously. The fact she held four fingers up gave it away.

I continued to walk and lecture Ro on her drunkenness before I realized they'd both stopped. Ali gasped, covering her mouth, and Ro's eyes widened.

"What?" I was confused.

Ro reacted at the speed of light and bundled me into a dark corner. "Oh my God, Bella. Why are you wearing white underwear?"

"Wait, what? How do you know that?"

Ro peeked around the corner, and once she was sure no one was around, she pulled me round. "Look." She pointed at a large mirror that hung on the wall.

KILL ME NOW. My underwear was shining like a white beacon through the material of my dress. I shot back into the darkened corner. It slowly dawned on me that Cullen knew, and he hadn't said a word. Snippets from our earlier conversation started to slot into place like a jigsaw. "I am going to kill him!" I growled.

"Who?" Ali and Ro asked at once.

"Cullen was here with me earlier, and he never said a word!" I fumed. "Tell me it wasn't like this in the bar?"

"No, just here." Ro started to giggle.

Oh my God.

"Jesus, I can't do anything about it now."

"You could take them off?" Ro offered unhelpfully.

"I'm not taking them off." I hushed her. "I'll just have to go with it. At least I'm not wearing Spanx." I tried to see the positives in the utterly embarrassing scenario I'd found myself in.

"Come on, let's go dance." I didn't remember seeing the blue glow of black lights on the dance floor, and there were definitely no infuriatingly handsome, smug bastards who enjoyed withholding vital information purely for their own benefit.

I held my head high as I walked, ignoring the fact that my underwear was glowing, and headed straight back down into hell.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

**AN**: Sooo I hope you enjoyed it?!

I had great fun with the cheesy chat up lines. I've never, ever, heard a remotely funny one said in real life though!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter x

I'm on twitter at SparrowNotes24 so come and talk to me!


	7. Scissor Kicks

AN: Hello to all my new followers, and thank you for your reviews. They went crazy over the past week! Largely thanks to the fab gang over on FB in my Mud, Sweat & Beers group. *Waves and blows kisses * ILY guise! Thank you to every one who has reviewed and recommended this story. It makes me very happy!

Massive thanks to the amazing **GossipLips** who is now my prereader as well as loyal supporter! This story wouldn't be where it is today without your help. I heart you.

This story has been beta'd by the lovely **Jcat5507** and **Alice's White Rabbit **from **PTB**. I don't envy them trying to sort out my excessive punctuation habits. We'll be seeing a lot more of **Jcat5507** around here. Thanks ladies. I've messed since so any mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. But I do own Muddy Smugward! (Thanks to **cutestkidsmom** for labeling my Edward perfectly x)

Enjoy x x

**~0~0~0~ SCISSOR KICKS ~0~0~0~**

Music pounded through the room; the vibrations coursing through my body as we headed to the dance floor. Bodies were crammed together in an undulating wave, moving with the beat. More and more people arrived, pushing the dancers closer and closer, as the drinks flowed and inhibitions were cast off.

Ro wriggled her way through the crowd to find a small space where we could "bust a move." Elbow room was severely limited, but we managed to create a pocket of space as we _really _began to let our hair down.

Any flashes of blue light had me checking for illuminated panties. So far, there hadn't been any incidents.

We danced until our feet hurt, grinding and gyrating to give the cage dancers a run for their money. I'm sure any outsiders looking in may have had a differing view, but we thought we looked sexy. We'd even managed to amass a few admirers.

Ali had given up with her sling and was using the silk scarf in a Burlesque manner which in no way matched the dance music thumping through the speakers. She wrapped it around my waist, pulling me to her and giggling as she dirty-danced down to the floor, narrowly missing knocking my teeth out on her way back up. Eventually, the burn in my feet and my growing awareness of slimy men edging closer had started to feel uncomfortable. Ro and Ali, still under the influence, were oblivious.

"Ro, I'm off to find somewhere to sit," I shouted above the noise.

"Okay, don't go where we can't see you." She stood on her tiptoes and pointed out a row of high stools along the edge of the dance floor.

"I won't." I hugged them both and worked my way out of the melee to find a free stool. The relief on my feet elicited a loud moan of ecstasy from me; it was so good. I spent the next few minutes people watching, keeping an eye on the girls and laughing at the crazies. There were plenty around: a girl humping a pillar, another performing an uncoordinated drop, bend and flick—over and over again—much to the delight of a nerdy looking guy in a cardigan. I was worried for his safety; she looked like she would eat him alive. I scanned the crowds for Cullen, but I couldn't see him or any of the gang. My eyes darted and my heart skipped numerous times at false alarms. I kicked myself for being so jumpy.

Movement near Ro and Ali caught my eye. Ro was shouting at a tall, dark haired-guy with a goatee. Poking him in his chest, she then demonstrated her personal space, holding her arms out. I started to slide off my chair to help but, like knights in shining armor, McCarty and Whitlock appeared next to her, towering over the man. He nearly tripped over himself, scrabbling to get away. Laughing to myself, I shuffled back onto my seat, enjoying the soap opera. It turned into an uncomfortable smooch-fest moments later. So, as they were both in such safe hands and mouths, I decided to get a drink.

Fifteen minutes later, I was still waiting to be served. Flashing my cleavage, modest as it was, had not helped at all and my arms were sticky from the layer of spilled drinks puddled across the bar. I was on the verge of giving up, when

I felt a warm touch on my elbow. Turning, I was faced with a pair of dark brown eyes and a dazzling smile.

"I didn't know doctors had time to go clubbing?" I smiled up at him. He was at least a foot taller—even with my three-inch heels.

He laughed; a deep rumbling sound. "Even docs have to unwind." I shifted slightly to let him in at the bar. He flashed his hand to grab the attention of the bartender. It took all of two seconds for the barman to notice the handsome man by my side.

I laughed as he ordered us both a drink. "I guess we aren't all invisible."

"You just have to know how to get their attention." He leaned his elbow on the bar facing me; his eyes locked with mine. "You should have no problem with that … You got mine."

He certainly was gorgeous, and he'd drawn the attention of numerous girls around us, but my stomach wasn't flip-flopping like it did around a certain green-eyed asshole.

"I'm Jake, by the way." He held out his hand.

"Bella." His huge hand enveloped mine in a strong grip, and I arched my eyebrow at him as I spoke again. "Maybe we ought to have exchanged names before drinks."

"Nah, where's the fun in that?" He chuckled then took a swig from his beer. His tan skin looked even darker against the bright white t-shirt stretched tight across his broad shoulders. I was getting death stares from left, right and center as girls hovered around him, watching his every move.

"How's your friend?" He asked.

"She's _totally_ fine. In fact, I think she's forgotten her wrist is broken, judging by the moves she was throwing on the dance floor."

"And you're not dancing because?"

I pointed at my feet. "My shoes are killing me." He took his time looking, his eyes dancing slowly up my legs. I noticed a redheaded girl mouthing something at me from over his shoulder. I didn't catch it, but the sneer that pulled up the side of her face gave me the impression that it hadn't been a compliment. "Looks like you have quite the fan club."

He looked over his shoulder and was rewarded with sultry smiles and _a lot_ of hair flicking. He sighed and shook his head. "I think stalkers may be a more suitable description." His bright smile had turned into a grimace and he groaned. "They bring me cakes at work." He groaned.

"Aww, that's sweet," I said unconvincingly. She looked anything but sweet.

He laughed heartily. "Not so much … So, I guess you're not from around here? The accent and all?"

"Nope. We're a long way from home. Studying at the university this year."

"So that doesn't give me much time then?"

"Time for what?"

"To get to know you better." Damn, what was it with these British boys?

"I think there's a few people who might be unhappy about that," I said as I flicked my eyes to the group of girls; now openly glaring at me.

He shrugged. "They'll get over it." Someone called his name from across the bar, waving him over. "I'd better go. It was good to meet you, beautiful Bella. Maybe we could go for a drink sometime?"

"Maybe." I smiled. Part of me knew I should be throwing myself at him, but I couldn't stop my mind from returning to Cullen. I really had it bad.

"Ah, playing hard to get … I like a challenge." He winked at me again. "See you around."

.

.

I'd made my way back to my perch just moments before Cullen appeared at my side, concern etched on his face. "Jesus, Bella, where've you been? Everyone's flipping out looking for you!"

Every snarky remark I had ready for him slipped from my mind. "What? Why? I was just at the bar."

"They said you were here, and then I couldn't find you. Come on, we'd better go and tell them." He offered his hand to help me down. Taking it, I followed him as he pulled me through the club. Every so often he tightened his grip and rubbed his thumb across the back of my hand. It was more than a friendly gesture and he'd been looking for me. A small smile flitted across my face at the thought.

"Bella Swan, where have you been?" Ro shouted as we found them; her eyes shifting from anger to relief and then, spotting our hands clasped together, surprise.

"I was at the bar about ten yards from you. Stop getting your panties in a twist." I scowled at her. "Where's Ali?"

"She's gone home." She huffed, crossing her arms, a little unsteady on her feet.

McCarty supported her with his hand on her back. "Whoa there, Nelly." He chuckled.

"On her own?" I asked.

Ro smirked. "Nope." She looked back at my hand entwined with Cullen's and raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, remembering I was mad at him, I pulled it away and spun round to face him.

"You've got some explaining to do!" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What? What did I do?" He tried to look innocent, but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. I heard Ro mumbling something about leaving us to it.

"You know damn well what. How could you not tell me?" I shouted.

"You're going to have to tell me what I've done. I think I'm missing something." He'd given into the smirk.

"Urrrh!" I huffed, getting madder by the second. "You didn't tell me about the black light thing."

"The what?"

Oh my god. Give me strength. "MY GLOWING PANTIES!" I screamed, and I may have stamped my foot.

He burst into laughter, bending over and holding his stomach. I wasn't impressed. I folded my arms and tapped my foot, waiting for him to get control of himself.

Eventually, he pulled himself together enough to respond. "I was enjoying it far too much to tell you. You've got to admit it's funny. I've never seen illuminated knickers before, but I have to say—I'm a big fan."

His accent and the fact he called them knickers nearly broke my resolve. "Stop trying to make me laugh when I'm mad at you!" I prodded him with my fin.

He grabbed onto my hand, pulling me toward him. "I'm sorry." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "I'm a bad person."

"Yes, you are," I agreed. "Mean and horrible."

He chuckled. "You don't really think that."

I responded with another huff before adding, "It's a good thing Ro told me, so I could sort them out."

He still had hold of my hand and had linked his fingers with mine. "How did you sort them out? I guess avoiding UV, huh?"

"Nope. I took them off."

His eyes flashed to mine and darkened instantly; his voice garnered a husky tone. "You mean you're not … "He didn't finish his sentence but dropped my hand, and ran his fingers though his hair.

"Nope."

Desire blazed in his eyes, and just as he went to move, his gaze lifted over my shoulder, switching from desire to irritation. A second later, a warm hand squeezed my shoulder.

"I'll see you around, Bella." Jake winked at me and nodded at Cullen as he walked past.

"See you, Jake." I smiled at him and then smirked up at Cullen.

"Jake?" He said

"Oh, yeah. Jake. He's a good guy."

"Huh."

"Have you forgotten how to speak?" I knew I was winding him up, but between Pantygate and Lauren, he deserved it.

"No. Just wondering what you've been getting up to while you've been missing." Definitely jealous.

"And how is what I'm doing—any of your business?"

He scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "You're right. It's not."

"Correct. I'm my own woman. Glowing panties, black panties, lace panties or no panties."

"Seriously, Bella, please can you stop talking about your panties, or I'm not going to be responsible for my actions." He looked a little pained.

Oh, to hell with it. "I will say panties as—"

"I warned you." He growled, grabbing my hips and pulling me flush against his body as his lips devoured mine. My body arched against his in response; my hands clutching the front of his shirt. I moaned into his mouth as his hands slowly travelled down the sides of my body, gripping the material of my dress with his fingers, twisting and pulling me closer. The sensation of his caresses shot my pulse through the roof, and desire thrummed through my body, intensifying as he slipped his leg between mine.

Leaving my lips bruised, his mouth travelled along my jaw peppering kisses and licks against my skin, as I let my head fall back, reveling in the feeling of his lips lightly brushing down to my neck. I groaned as I felt his teeth nip the sensitive skin by my ear.

Desperate for his mouth, I grasped his hair, pulling him back to me. His lips crushed against mine, tongues deepening the kiss. The pounding music and mingled smells of liquor, sweat and smoke receded from my consciousness. His smell and taste and touch overcame everything else.

Caressing fingers found the edge of my dress, running along underneath the edge of the hem, as trembles besieged my body in anticipation of his touch.

"God, Bella. I want you." He gripped my thigh pulling it up to his hip as his hands slid slowly up my leg under the dress. Heat pooled between my thighs as he moved his hand round to cup my cheek. His fingers running along the edge of my panties before he lifted the elastic and snapped it back down against my skin. Busted.

He chuckled, releasing my leg as he moved back slightly. I whimpered at the loss of contact; so unbelievably turned on, I was oblivious to the fact we had an audience. If he'd carried on, I would have had no qualms having sex with him right there and then. He looked down at me and cocked his head slightly, an unbelievable sexy smirk on his face.

I smiled at him sheepishly. "Oops, there they are."

He laughed, shaking his head. "They won't be for much longer."

My knees felt weak; this man was bad for my health. As the cloud of lust cleared, and the noise of the club returned me to my senses; I realized we'd created quite a spectacle. I lost my mind when he touched me. Clearly.

McCarty grinned at us. "Jeez, get a room, will you!" He looked to be holding Ro up, and for a minute, I thought she was fast asleep, but her eyes flickered open, and she gave me a lazy smile and slurred, "Hussy."

"Shut up." I tried to move away, but Cullen didn't let me go far and grabbed my waist pulling me back into him, laughing as his arms wrapped around my front; he rested his chin on my shoulder.

I spotted Lauren hovering nearby: her face a mask of contempt. As Cullen started kissing my shoulder, an indescribably sad emotion flickered across her face, and for a moment, I felt bad. But a second later, she caught herself, and the scowl returned, stamping out any sympathy I may have felt.

"I think it's time to go home before you two get arrested for indecent exposure." McCarty joked and then looked down at Ro who had gone back into hibernation mode. "How are you girls getting home?"

"We're going to get the last bus," I said, wriggling out of Cullen's grasp. "Come on, Ro."

"Bella, it's 3 A.M. The last bus was at 1," McCarty explained.

I looked guiltily over at Cullen. Jeez, how long had we been kissing? "Oh crap. Well, we'll get a cab then." I rooted around my purse for cash, and then I worked Ro's purse out of her half-conscious death grip. At least she was vigilant. "Will five pounds get us back to the campus?" I asked hopefully.

McCarty laughed heartily. "They'll charge you that just to sit in the taxi."

I must have looked crushed as he stopped laughing, scooping Ro back under his arm. "Here, let me help. You can stay at ours place if you want? We live a few streets over, and I can drop you off in the morning. I'd give you the money, but, to be honest, I'm not sure how you'll manage with this dead weight." He gestured to Ro, who was obviously not asleep, as she punched him in the stomach. Or at least she tried. He didn't move a muscle, laughing as he kissed her on the top of her head.

"Our place?" I asked.

Cullen's face broke into a huge grin. "He means me. I live with Emmett."

"Right." Oh shit. My mind quickly sifted through the pros and cons of his offer. There was a definite weighting toward one side. I wouldn't have to walk home, dragging Ro on a makeshift sled or suchlike. I wouldn't die of pneumonia or get robbed, attacked or murdered. But, I would be in close proximity to Cullen and—a bed. The way he was looking at me told me he was having the exact same thought. The memory of the taste of his mouth and the thrill of his hands igniting my skin slammed the door on caution. Oh, fuck it. "Okay."

.

.

Ten minutes later, after an ice-cold walk, we arrived at a modern apartment block. McCarty had given up trying to get Ro to walk and was cradling her in his arms. Cullen had lent me his jacket, which I'd grasped around my body tightly and was, every so often, sniffing like a creepy stalker. The soft, buttery leather warmed from his body felt incredible, and it smelled so good I felt lightheaded. I was considering how I could steal it.

Cullen remained by my side along the way and explained that he and Emmett had been in the same regiment of the Army Air Corps: both leaving at similar times. They decided to split the cost of the apartment—a luxury in comparison to some of the living conditions they'd endured during their service. When Emmett was out of earshot, Cullen griped about his bad habits and untidiness, giving me the impression he was suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, which he vehemently denied.

Their apartment, up on the sixth floor, was the epitome of a modern bachelor pad. There were muted tones throughout, matched with black furniture and a stainless steel kitchen that my mom would have felt at home in. A huge couch dominated the main room, facing the largest flat screen television I'd _ever_ seen. DVD and computer games were strewn around a home entertainment center that looked to contain, no fewer than, three gaming systems. Jesus. The walls were covered with black and white photographs, showing incredible aerial views and were set off with black frames. Dense rainforest tree-tops, snow-capped mountain peaks and a tangle of river tributaries were hung along one wall.

"Do you want to borrow this?" Cullen appeared by my side and handed over a navy hoodie.

"Thanks." I slid his jacket off my shoulders, pulling the soft top over my head before turning back to the photos. "These are amazing."

"Yeah, they are." His voice had changed minutely, perhaps hiding an emotion, but without seeing his face, I couldn't identify which one. I felt his body move closer and the touch of his hands against my neck, as he gently lifted my long hair from where it was tucked under the hoodie.

"Do you collect them?" I held my breath as he brushed the hair away from my neck.

The whispered words were muffled, as he pressed his lips against my skin. "Something like that."

I leaned back into him as his arms wrapped around my waist and rested my head back onto his chest. His hands started to wander under the hoodie and over my ribs, rising higher until they gently brushed the underside of my breasts. I pushed back into him, turning my head to capture his lips. His fingers danced across the sensitive skin; my nipples pebbling under his touch. He was teasing me as he lightly traced a circle around their edge; heat shot through me. If he didn't press harder soon, I was going to scream.

A throat cleared next to us, and McCarty's hearty chuckle broke the spell. "Sorry to interrupt, but Ro's asking for you."

Seriously, Ro was going to owe me. Big time. I rolled my eyes and huffed, moving out of Cullen's embrace to follow McCarty.

He pointed to a door. "Good luck with that." He winked and threw himself on the couch, with his hands folded behind his head.

I poked my head into the room and saw Ro passed out half on the bed. One leg and arm dangling from the side, and her face squashed into a pillow.

It must have been McCarty's room, as it looked as if a tornado had ripped through it. Clothes were strewn across the floor; magazines and weights were haphazardly piled in one corner. At least the huge bed Ro was splayed across was made. I picked my way across the obstacles littering the path to the bed. "Ro." I shook her shoulder. "RO."

Nothing. I rolled her over so she wouldn't suffocate herself and removed her shoes, pulling the bed covers from underneath and settling them over her.

"Rosalie Hale, you are going to be sick as a dog tomorrow." I tucked her in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She looked like an angel curled up, her blonde hair spilling across the pillows. One of her baby blues cracked open. "B, where's my purse?" she croaked.

I searched around the room and under the bed. "It's not here. Hold on a sec." Heading back into the living room, I checked around. "Hey, have you seen Ro's purse? It's a silver one."

My eyes scanned the room but couldn't spot it. McCarty sat up and looked around half-heartedly. "Nope, not seen it. She was carrying it when I had her."

Cullen appeared shaking his head. "I've not seen it."

Oh, for God's sake. I walked back into the room. "Ro, its not there. When did you last have it?"

"Erm, at the road on the club street," she slurred.

I slapped my hand to my forehead, sighing. "That's not very helpful. Did you have it here?"

I was answered with a snore. Great.

I stomped back out. "I'm going to have to go and look for it. She must have dropped it."

"I'll go and look." McCarty stood up.

"No, it's okay. I'll go. I know what I'm looking for." He didn't need to be told twice, flopping back down, returning to snoozing.

"Come on, we'll go together." Cullen grabbed his jacket, and we headed back downstairs.

I spotted the purse after about a minute lying near the gutter. Luckily everything was still there, including six condoms. I hoped she hadn't been planning to get through all those in one night.

Cullen pressed the buzzer to get back in. "Jesus, I'm so tired." He rubbed his eyes before pressing the buzzer again.

I shivered hugging myself, stamping my feet to keep warm. "I'm too cold to be tired. Brrrr … rrrrr ... rrrr … rrrrr." I exaggerated my teeth chattering.

"Give me a second when we get in and I'll warm you up." He smirked.

I groaned. "Where the hell are they? Can't you just use your keys or call him?"

"I didn't bring my keys." He clasped his hands blowing into them and rubbing them together. "Or my phone."

"Why not?" I demanded.

"Because there are two people in the flat who can let us in." He reminded me.

I huffed. "Oh my god, McCarty." I pushed the buzzer excessively hard at least twenty times in a row.

"Don't break it or we'll never get in."

I shot him a glare. "Can't you do something?"

"Like what?" He shrugged his shoulders. His crooked grin was increasing alongside my irritation level.

"I don't know. You're the one who was in the army. Don't they train you for this sort of thing?"

He shook his head laughing. "Nope."

"Oh my god. I'm gonna die out here."

"Stop being a drama queen." He chuckled.

"Are you serious? I can feel my toes going numb. I'm gonna get frostbite, and my toes will drop off." I whined. "I don't want my toes to drop off."

"Will you calm down! Em's probably fallen asleep. Look, I'll buzz another apartment. Come here." He pulled me to him and enveloped me in his arms. My body was shaking, so I pressed as close to him as possible.

Five minutes later and no one in the whole place was answering the door. McCarty and Ro ought to fear for their lives, because when I got my hands on them—murder was a distinct possibility.

"Look, there's only one thing for it." He sighed.

'What?"

"If we just have sex here, we'll keep warm and—"

I stamped on his toes.

"Ouch." He laughed. "I'm only kidding." He squeezed me closer, and a shiver wracked his body too. "You hungry?"

"Cullen. Seriously. I'm gonna scream if you don't say something sensible."

"I am being serious." He chuckled into my hair. "I want to take you for breakfast. Let's call it our first date."

I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes. He wasn't joking. "Will it be warm?"

"Oh yes, warm and extremely romantic. The kind of first date that every girl dreams of." He gave me a lopsided smile, and I felt my heart flutter in my chest.

"Okay, where?"

He smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Come on."

We walked to a quiet street which was lined with trees, their branches bare, leaves carpeting the road. All the houses were dark, their inhabitants tucked up in bed, with the exception one—garish red and green light spilled onto the sidewalk from a sign above the door way. The rich smells of spicy cooking hung in the air.

I craned my neck to see the sign, reading it out loud. "Abra … kebab … ra." I couldn't help but laugh. "And they say romance is dead."

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

**AN: **Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Abra-kebab-ra is a real takeaway (quicky disclaimer: I don't own it). I always smile when I see the sign though!

Come and join us in the Mud Sweat and Beers FB group - link is on my profile.

I'm on twitter too at sparrownotes24 - come and say hi.

**A few fic recs for you:**

**Because Of A Boy by cutestkidsmom** – a really wonderful and heartwarming story. It will tug on your heartstrings.

**Love Through Another's Eyes by Eternally Edward's Girl** – I challenge you to read the prologue without your heart hurting. I've also wanted to kill one of the characters of numerous occasions ;-)

**On Edge by GossipLips ** - A sexy little drabble that is nearly complete. It hot stuff but has a softer side too.

**Departures **and **Through the Kitchen Window by TheFicChick **– two incredible one-shots that are beautifully written.

Please read and go and give them all lots of love.

See you next week!

xxx


	8. Chin Ups

AN: Thank you for all the reviews and follows last week. It makes me happy to see you guys out there!

Big love to all Muddy Smugward's girls in my FB group. You all rock.

Never ending thanks to **GossipLips** my prereader and hot manip maker. (link is on my profile ***swoon***)

This chp was beta'd by **mcc101180** and **Torisurfergirl** from PTB. Thank you ladies. I have added few bits since so all mistakes you see belong to me.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight, but I own all things muddy.

Enjoy!

**~0~0~0~ CHIN UPS ~0~0~0~**

Curled up on the squeaky vinyl booth seat with my legs tucked underneath, I was mesmerized by the specimen seated opposite me. Not by his strong jaw, striking sea-green eyes or mussed-up bed hair. Nope. I was gobsmacked by the sheer amount of food that he was shoveling into his mouth.

"Do you want some?" He paused, fork midair, for my answer.

"Nu-uh." My stomach rolled at the thought of putting greasy food in it. How he could eat a chicken kebab at five o'clock in the morning was mind-boggling to me.

I wrapped my hands around my cup of coffee, blowing the steam away, my eyes still fixed on Cullen. The cafe was cozier than I'd expected. Red and green booths edged the room, and tall stools lined the counter at the far end. According to Cullen, a regular, it was legendary for its food.

The mix of alcohol, lack of sleep and partial freeze my body had experienced had left me in shock. The strong coffee was slowly bringing me back to life. A few shudders still vibrated up my spine even though the owner, Eli— a man with a short and rotund body, bushy mustache and yellow-tinted aviator glasses, akin to that of a ridiculous cartoon character —had turned up the heat for me. Fussing over my lack of a coat, refusal to eat and the late hour, he made his displeasure known to Cullen, who he blamed for my misfortunes. I loved him already.

Cullen had withered under his scolding—something I'd never thought I'd see. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Especially, when Eli got his dictionary out to define the meaning of a gentleman—a chivalrous, courteous or honorable man—which then led to further definitions of the definition.

Cullen grumbled. "I don't know where he get's the idea I'm not a gentleman."

"Do you want me to make a list for you?" I smirked at him.

"I want you to come over here and sit by me." He pushed his plate to the side, patting the cushion.

"I'm fine right where I am, thank you." I wasn't going to give Eli a reason to define "wanton hussy." I was quickly learning that I couldn't trust myself to behave when I was within touching distance of Cullen.

"I'm not going to bite you." His eyes danced with mirth. "Too hard."

"You are not putting your teeth anywhere near me." I growled at him.

"Are you always this feisty?" He'd picked up an empty packet of sugar and started ripping it to shreds.

"No, though you have a knack of bringing it out of me." I placed the cold mug with the last dregs of coffee on the table and shuffled farther into the corner, tucking my knees under the hoodie and my hands in the pockets.

"Why do you think that is?" He started on another packet.

"I don't know, perhaps because you're the cockiest S.O.B. I've ever met?" I shrugged, a slight smile on my face. I couldn't help it.

He chuckled. "You don't have to start politely abbreviating. I know you have a dirty mouth."

"I'm trying to be more ladylike after the peep show I gave everyone in the club." God, the mortification was starting to return, my cheeks reddening at the memory. It was hard to distinguish between the flush of arousal or the blush of embarrassment.

"Nobody was watching," he incorrectly informed me.

"Do you need glasses?"

"Nope. Twenty-twenty vision. Army, remember?" He tapped the side of his head with his fingertip. Eli strolled over and placed a huge slice of chocolate cake in front of me.

"For you. Eat it," he ordered, giving me a stern glare that softened into a smile as I pulled the cake toward me. He cleared away Cullen's mess, tutting as he snatched the packet he was currently destroying.

I sighed. "He's not going to give up, is he?" Unfolding my legs, I grabbed the plate, scooping up a blob of rich chocolate ganache with my finger and sucking it. It tasted divine, and suddenly I was ravenous. I scooped up another finger-full, moaning my approval.

Cullen snatched the plate away. "Stop it. You'll make yourself sick," he warned, his voice a little husky.

"Hey, give it back." I laughed, reaching for it.

"Nope." He grabbed the fork and stabbed a big chunk, stuffing it in his mouth.

"Go get your own slice." I pouted as I grabbed the plate and cradled it on my lap. I picked at more of the icing, licking it off my fingers while Cullen watched me, his eyes smoldering. _Oh I see._

I smirked at him, for once, enjoying being the tease. I offered him the bit of

chocolate icing on my finger. Seeing what I wanted, he leaned forward with his lips parted. As his mouth went to wrap around my finger, I smudged it across his cheek. Laughing at the consternation on his face, I went back to eating the cake as he wiped the offending smear away with a napkin.

Chuckling and shaking his head, he slid out from his side and in next to me. "You shouldn't have done that." He reached for the cake again, and I slapped his hands away.

"Get off it." I shifted farther into the corner, turning my back as a barrier. He grabbed my waist, pulling me toward him. Yelping and nearly dropping the plate on the floor, I tried to wriggle away, giggling as he tickled my sides.

"Stop. Stop. Stop! I'll give you some," I pleaded. He let go and scooted up closer to me as I offered out the plate.

"Nope. You give it to me. I'm not getting my hands sticky." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Fine." I scooped another bit off and hovered it near his lips for a second before wiping it on all over his chin, but this time he grasped my face and kissed my lips and cheeks, smearing chocolate everywhere. I squealed and pushed him away, laughing at his messy face while laughter creased his eyes. I was so attracted to him, it took my breath away. But every moment I felt my draw to him intensify, I had to remind myself I was leaving at the end of the semester. This could only ever be a bit of fun—short but sweet. Then my happiness would crumble away and become replaced by a nagging voice that tugged at my heart. _You can't have him._

_._

_._

"Do you think we can get back in yet?" We were both half asleep; I was using my arms as a pillow on the table top. Cullen was resting his head back against the booth, but he'd been tracing circles on my knee, for the past few minutes, in a soothing repetitive pattern leaving my eyelids heavy. The café was busier now with early birds grabbing their breakfast.

"We should be able to." He sat up straight, stretching his arms high above his head. A sliver of bare skin dusted with light brown hair above his belt caught my eye sending me off into a dreamland involving a naked Cullen. I let out an involuntary sigh.

Cullen looked at me oddly before he smiled and took a lock of my hair and twirled it around his finger. "Did you enjoy our date?" he asked.

"It was the best date I've ever had. You certainly know how to make a girl feel special." I watched his face as he cocked his head slightly to the side, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I did buy you cake. I never usually get that far," he informed me.

"Hmm, there's two ways to take that sentence, and I'm not sure I like either," I admitted.

His brows pulled into a frown for a moment before he chuckled. "I'm definitely not a cheapskate."

"That was the less worrying thought I was having." I tried not to think about how many girls he'd bypassed desert with. I sat upright, running my fingers through my tangled hair to flatten it down. Cullen watched me with a slight smirk. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He tried but failed to school his face back into a neutral expression.

"Do I look a mess?" I ran my fingers under my eyes in a vain attempt to remove any smudged makeup.

"Yep. You look like you've been dragged through a hedge backward," he said, carrying on before I could protest. "But, it doesn't matter. You are still the sexiest mess I have ever seen." Despite the tiredness around his eyes, they still shone with mischief, and his gaze drew me in as I blushed, rolling my eyes at him. I wasn't good at taking compliments, even if they were heavily disguised within insults.

"Well that makes me feel better," I muttered. "You don't look so hot yourself." Damn him. I doubted he ever had days where he didn't look incredible. His hair stuck up all over the place, and every time he unconsciously raked his fingers through it, it looked even better. My fingers were itching to curl into it. A light shadow of stubble covered his jaw, which I'd noticed he would rub when he was thinking, which was exactly what he did next.

"Bella, can I take you out sometime? Properly." He moved from rubbing his jaw to attacking a napkin, ripping pieces off as he waited for my answer.

I placed my hand over his, stopping its movement and answered, "Yes, and did you know that is a sign of sexual frustration?"

"Oh really?" He laughed, shaking his head at me. A dazzling smile crossed his face while he took my hand in his, lacing his fingers with mine. "I promise. No kebabs or late nights."

"Will I make it to dessert?"

"If I had my way, you would never make it out of my bed." He smirked. Every time he flirted with me, it was as if a switch was flicked on inside of me, causing my arousal to unfurl.

"Can you stop saying things like that until we are in your bedroom so I can act on it?" I studied his face for a reaction, spotting the telltale darkening of his eyes. I internally cheered myself, glad I could have the same effect on him as he did on me.

He jumped up abruptly, adjusting himself in his jeans, his eyes burning into me as he spoke. "I think we should go and see if we can get in."

I swallowed ,my mouth suddenly dry. I was mesmerized at this sight of him turned on and wanting. Arousal flooded my body while my mind took a second to tell my body to move. When I finally realized he was waiting for me, I jumped up and grabbed his offered hand. Cullen shouted his thanks to Eli who waved us off, telling Cullen to look after me.

We made it back to the apartment block in record time, managing to immediately get through the front door behind another resident. All worries about leaving, taking it slowly or my bedraggled appearance flew out of the window. All I cared about was having his hands on me. He pulled me into the elevator. I balked as I spotted my reflection in the mirrored wall, but Cullen didn't give me a second to hesitate before his mouth was on mine, breaking off as he pulled the hoodie over my head and dropped in onto the floor. His fingers curled into my hair as he pushed me against the wall, the cool mirror eliciting a gasp as the bare skin of my shoulders pressed against it. The ride was short, and the ding broke us apart, panting as we made our way to the apartment.

Cullen pounded on the door until a bleary-eyed McCarty appeared. "Where the hell have you two been?" He yawned, stretching as Cullen ignored him and pulled me along.

I called out back to him. "Hey, McCarty. I'm going to kill you and Ro later." I smiled sweetly as he stood in the open door, scratching his head.

Pulling me into his room, immaculately tidy I noted, as he led me to the bed.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No," I croaked.

"Hang on here for a second." He pressed a kiss to my lips, lingering for a moment before he left the room.

I sat back onto the bed, my eyes flitting around the room. There were bookshelves full to the brim, the spines neatly organized, and some old fashioned cameras sat on a shelf along the wall. His desk was organized but covered with paperwork, and a few photographs were pinned to the wall. A small lamp hung over the work space.

I brushed the soft, navy material of the bed cover under my hand as a chill ran over me. I scooted up the bed and leaned against the pillows, pulling a cream throw over my legs to keep them warm.

.

.

My arm had gone numb, and as I shifted my body weight off it, tingles ran from my elbow to my fingertips. A warm body pressed against my back, and I could feel the weight of an arm across my waist. My first thought went to Cullen. Once my eyes adjusted to the thin light trickling through the blinds, I spotted the unfamiliar room and navy bed covers. Oh my god. I'm in his bed. My mind tried to sift through the memories of the night before. Did we have sex? Surely, I would remember that. Fuck my life if I didn't. I would cry.

I rolled over, and instead of seeing mussed-up bronze and sea-green, I was met with golden curls and crystal blue.

"Why am I here?" Ro croaked.

"That is a very good question. Why are you here?" I grumbled, throwing the bed covers off and sitting up.

"How did I get here?" She pulled the covers back across her face, groaning into them.

"Ro, the last I can recall, I was about to _finally _get Cullen naked. I have no idea why _you're_ here, where _he_ is or what happened." I scrubbed my face with my hands, gasping as I put two and two together. "Oh crap."

Ro poked her head above the cover. "Will you stop shouting—my head hurts!"

I ignored her and grasped my head in my hands. "Oh no, I think I fell asleep." Groaning, I flopped back down onto the bed. "Who does that? What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Seriously, B. Shut up."

"Oh I'm sorry, Ro, but I'm having a _crisis_ in case you hadn't noticed," I yelled as she winced, scrunching her face up.

"Sorry, but my brain has come loose and it's rolling around my skull. Just go and find him. Tell him you've got narcolepsy or something." She flung an arm across my body giving me a weak squeeze.

"Thanks for that helpful advice, but I think I'm just going to hide."

I snuggled back down into the covers, but Ro pushed me until I was on the verge of falling out of the bed. "Get up."

"Stop it!" I begged. "You just want me to go away to give you some peace."

"That's true, but you can't hide either. Now go away." She turned over and shoved the pillow over her head.

"Fine." I huffed and got up. Making my way to the door, curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked at the photographs on his wall. One depicted an older couple—their arms wrapped around each other's waist. An attractive auburn haired woman gazed adoringly into the eyes of an extremely handsome man who wore a bright Hawaiian shirt. The woman's eyes were a familiar shade of green.

Alongside that one—a black and white shot of some soldiers. I spotted McCarty and Cullen immediately, even in their helmets and full camo gear. Cullen had his arm slung around the shoulders of a man I didn't recognize. Their faces had been forever captured in a moment of happiness, laughter creased eyes and mouths turned up in smiles. I paused for a moment, my own lips curling into a smile, before I headed out of the room.

I cracked open the door and peered down the hallway. I couldn't see anyone, but I heard the television and cupboard doors in the kitchen being opened and closed. Working out which one was the bathroom, I tiptoed down the hallway, the carpet muffling my steps. I decided I'd better sort out my appearance before I had to face him.

No sooner had I reached the doorway than it was flung open to reveal a surprised, half naked and wet Cullen. I froze on the spot as I took in the sight before me. He wore a pair of black basketball shorts slung low on his hips, the band of his boxers peeking over the top. There was a towel in one hand, and his arm was raised as he used it to dry his hair. That left the rest of his body—naked. Jesus.

His broad chest glistened with water droplets, and I watched mesmerized as one dripped from his water darkened hair and ran the full length of his well-defined stomach, drawing my gaze down every inch of it in all its glory, until my eyes fell on the muscled V of his hips. Black flicks of ink were visible down one side of his body across his ribs—cursive writing. I couldn't make out the words. Another line of scrawl lined his hip at an angle, disappearing beneath his shorts. I forgot how to breathe.

"It's rude to stare, you know." He chuckled, pulling the towel over his shoulder.

"It would be rude _not_ to stare," I responded, forcing myself to meet his green eyes and kicking myself again for falling asleep when I did.

"How are you feeling, sleepy head?" he asked.

I cringed slightly. "Erm … sorry about that. I'm not really sure what happened."

"No worries. It was late, and you were tired." He shrugged, grinning at me. "You've got lots of time to make up for it."

"Not that much time," I mumbled under my breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Can I use the bathroom?" I gestured to the doorway behind him.

"Sure." He moved out of the way letting me pass. "Em is going to drop you off when you need to leave. I've got to go and coach my kids."

"Your kids?" I asked, slightly confused.

"My under elevens football team." He laughed at my expression. "I don't have any kids of my own. I coach the team in my spare time."

Damn he was starting to become the most perfect man I had ever laid my eyes on.

"Oh right. Well, I guess I'll see you around."

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my cheek. His freshly washed scent of shampoo and soap enveloped me. "You most definitely will."

I turned and closed the bathroom door, leaning on it for a moment with the biggest smile on my face. I was totally falling for him. Then I saw my reflection in the mirror and nearly died.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

**AN:** So a half naked Cullen?! Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks for reading.

Come over to FB and join the Mud, Sweat & Beers TwiFanfic group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at SparrowNotes24 and FB SparrowNotes TwentyFour.


	9. Burpees

**AN:** Here's an early update before the mad excitement of BD2 on Thurs! Thanks for all the reviews and follows for the last chapter.

Thanks to my pre-reader, the fab **GossipLips** who helps me shine up this story.

This chp was beta'd by **Jcat5507** and **EdwardsMate4ever** from PTB. Thank you Ladies (**Jcat5507** got this chapter done whilst poorly; she is all kinds of awesomeness.)

Thanks to all my FB ladies for their huge support for this story.

A bit of translation for you - British Bulldog - a UK game similar to Red Rover in the US

**Disclaimer:** SM owns Twilight, and Rob owns an emerald-green hound's-tooth suit. Sigh & faints. I do not own Nutbush City Limits or Proud Mary - Tina Turner does. No copyright infringement intended.

Enjoy!

**~0~0~0~ BURPEES ~0~0~0~**

The past week had flown by. The looming threat of end of semester exams hung over us like a black cloud. I hadn't seen Cullen since that morning. I blanched every time I remembered my disheveled appearance, a stark contrast to the godlike vision he exuded.

The library was full of students, cramming what should have been a month's long revision into the space of a few days. Ali was under a self-imposed lockdown, but I had a sneaking suspicion that she was relaxing the rules for a certain soldier. Ro and I were working our way through the reading list and the vending machine at a similar rate. After sharing our fifth packet of sweets, Ro was displaying the classic symptoms of a sugar rush. She had been babbling on about the unnecessary inclusion of green sweets for the past ten minutes whilst sketching on her pad. A psychiatrist would have a field day with her abstract doodles.

"Ro, can I have a red one?" I held my hand out as I laboriously wrote out all the references I'd used in my essay with the other. A green sweet hit me on the forehead, accompanied by Ro's muffled giggles. I threw it back in her direction. "A red, Ro." I missed catching the next one before it flew past me and skidded across the table behind us. "This is why you should never give children sweets." I sighed as she stuck her tongue out at me.

"God, I'm so bored," she whined, resting her head on the table, finally being quiet before her phone buzzed. She grabbed it and after reading the message, looking like a lovesick puppy, she jumped up and grabbed her coat. "Em's outside. I'll be back in a bit." She blew me a kiss and almost skipped out of the door. Her phone had been glued to her hand for the past week with the anticipation of a text or a call from McCarty.

Thankful for a moment's peace, I hunkered down to finish my work. A minute later, another sweet bounced off the top of my head and landed in front of me. I nearly fell off my chair in shock before I looked round for Ro, possible retaliations spinning through my mind, when an altogether more enticing distraction sat down in the chair next to me.

"That was from Rosalie," he informed me, a lopsided smile on his handsome face.

"Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes at him, unwrapping the sweet and popping it in my mouth.

"How's the revision going?" He gestured to the book-laden table.

I groaned, sitting back and twisting my long hair into a bun, securing it with a pencil. "Not good. We always leave it until the last minute and never learn our lesson. What are you doing here?"

He waved a piece of paper at me. "Need to get some books myself."

"Exams too?" I asked.

"Yep. In two weeks, and I've got three assignments to do as well," he responded with a sigh.

"I can't imagine you as the studious type." I laughed, taking in his appearance. He looked decidedly rugged. His hair was sticking up every which way; a few days of stubble covered his face.

"You'd be surprised. I'm a nerd," he admitted, shrugging off his black jacket revealing a thin grey v-neck t-shirt underneath and a silver chain visible around his neck.

I snorted in disbelief. "No way."

"Yes way. Can I borrow a pen?" He pointed to our girlie selection of gel pens—essential revision kit—scattered across the table.

"Take your pick, but just so you know, I'll be judging you on your choice." I quirked a brow at him.

He immediately picked up Ro's sparkly pink pen, smiling as he swaggered off toward the electronic book catalog. Every pair of female eyes in the vicinity stalked his every move—including mine. A smile tugged at my lips. He was such a sexy son of a bitch. His confidence oozed out of every pore, and he damn well knew it too. I swear girls were swooning in his wake. I couldn't bring myself to look away from the worn blue jeans that hugged his ass in a sinful way. When he turned and signaled me to come over by crooking his finger, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world and headed for him without a second thought. _God, I had it bad._ And if looks could kill, I would have died a hundred deaths on the way.

"I need your help to carry some books." He stood so close to me as he spoke, I could smell a hint of his spicy cologne which made me want to bury my face into his neck. "Come on, it's this way," he said as he led me down into the tall racks, explaining on the way that he wanted to get everything on his list so he'd covered every available source. Maybe he was a nerd after all.

We ended up deep within the shelves. The musty smell of old books lingered down the rows the further in we went. He started loading me up with books, running a ladder down the aisle to reach up for the higher shelves, adding more and more tomes into my arms. Dust swirled through the air as he disturbed books that looked like they hadn't been touched in years. He added another until the pile touched my chin, grinning cheekily as he stretched for another.

"I'm not your slave, you know?" I grumbled. He pulled a blue book out and, failing to see anywhere to fit it, balanced it on my head.

"You've got about five seconds to help me out, or I'll drop them," I warned him. My arms were starting to burn. He chuckled, taking the stack and setting it on the side of the ladder.

"Good balancing," he complimented, removing the book from my head.

I dusted down my jeans and black blouse. "My mom tried to make me practice my posture by balancing a book on my head," I explained. "My dad and I turned it into a competition." Smiling at the thought of my parents, a sad pang settled in my chest. I loved it here, but at heart, I was a home girl.

"A competition?" He chuckled as amusement lit up his face.

"Who could balance the stupidest things for the longest time? Who can hold their breath the longest? Silly things like that. We're very competitive. I'm almost unbeatable," I informed him matter-of-factly, scrubbing my hands together; they felt grubby from the old books.

"You miss your parents?" he asked. It was a statement rather than a question, and I wondered whether he'd noticed the sadness in my nostalgia.

"Yeah, I love it here, but I do miss them a lot. Especially my mom's cooking. I'm not known for my culinary skills. It's a miracle Ro and I haven't starved to death," I mused.

"I'm sure you've got other skills," he quipped. "Unbeatable book balancing among them. Come on, I need to witness it." He held a book out, humoring me.

"What do I win?" I laughed, hoping it would be something worthwhile, like he'd take his top off and let me lick him.

"Win?" He tilted his head to the side, running his fingers through his hair.

"There has to be a point to this," I explained.

"Fine … erm … if you complete the challenge, I'll buy you dinner," he offered.

"You've already said you'd do that. What else?"

"You drive a hard bargain." He chuckled, thinking for a moment. "If you win, I will make you a certificate that you can display of your wall of ridiculous accomplishments."

I beamed at him. "Okay, then. Let's do it." Little did he know my mom would make me medals out of tinfoil and ribbons to feed my competitive streak.

"Right. The challenge, if you are willing to accept it, is to balance this book on your head for as long as possible without dropping it, or touching it, regardless of the obstacles I'll think up as we go along."

I snickered at him, placing the book on my head. "I accept."

For the next few minutes, he attempted to make me drop the book. He had me walking up and down the aisles, picking books up off the floor and even dodging books he threw in my direction. Our laughter must have been echoing down the aisles, but no one came to see what the commotion was.

"Are you giving up?" I smirked at him, my cheeks flushed with exhilaration.

"You're good at this game, but ..." His eyes flickered with an idea. "… I want to try one more thing."

He walked toward me slowly, and I searched his face for any inkling of his plan before he moved behind me and gently kissed the nape of my neck. The smile on my face was replaced with an involuntary gasp, as I realized he was going to play dirty. "Nice try, but your flirtatious ways will not distract me."

He pressed light kisses against my skin moving up toward my ear. "We …"

I felt the tip of his tongue slowly lick up the side of my neck. "… Shall …"

He nipped my earlobe in his teeth and laughed. "… See …"

"You can't do that. It's not in the rules," I whined. I could feel my heart rate spiking and my skin tingling, overly sensitive to his touch.

"I didn't specify any rules for me and you didn't ask for clarification," he said, moving round in front of me. His green eyes were penetrating my concentration as he brushed his thumb slowly across my lips.

"Yeah, but you can't do—"

He leaned down and pressed his lips gently to mine, running his tongue along their edge. My sharp intake of breath allowed him to flick his tongue into my mouth before I squeezed my lips back together, causing him to laugh.

I couldn't look up without the book moving, and I'd be damned if I was going to let him win, but when his fingers began to trace along the soft skin on my jaw and slowly down the side of my neck, I knew the desire that shot through my body was going to be my downfall. His fingers edged under the collar of my chiffon blouse until his hand pressed against my heart, and I was sure he would feel it hammering beneath my skin. I tightly fisted my hands by my side, digging my nails into my palms to distract me from grabbing on to him.

"You are fighting a losing battle," he murmured, but I could hear that damned smirk in his voice.

His fingers continued their dance across my collarbone and down to the buttons on my blouse, as he slowly unhooked the first two, revealing my black lace bra. My body had started to tremble, as I heard his breathing deepen. He ran a finger along the top of my cleavage before dipping it under the edge of the lace, brushing against my hardened nipple. Fuck this. I grabbed the book and threw it to the floor, clutching his t-shirt in my hands and twisting it, pulling him toward me. He smirked down at me, victorious, as his hands made their way down my sides and around to grasp my bottom, squeezing it as he pulled me flush against him.

I growled. "That was not fair."

"No, but it was fun." He leaned down and caught my mouth in a passionate kiss that could have gone on for eternity but was probably only the tick of the minute hand before he broke away.

"Come on, I'd better get back. Em will be wondering what's happened to me." He started to gather his books, but I stayed put with an incredulous look on my face.

"You cannot do that to me and then walk away!" I pleaded.

He balanced his books back on the ladder and walked over, buttoning up the front of my blouse. His eyes flashed over my face, and he reached up and pulled the pencil from my hair, which tumbled down my back. Curling his fingers into the soft waves, he tugged gently, tipping my head back and exposing my neck, placing a kiss on my collarbone, my throat and finally my lips before he spoke again. "When I get to have you, all of you, it won't be a quick fumble. I want to take my time. I want all the time in the world to make you feel good." I looked into his eyes and there was no hint of mischief, only pure, unadulterated desire. Fuck me sideways.

.

After managing to work my legs and follow him out of the racks, he'd kissed me goodbye, insisting I see him at the next boot camp later that week and promising to take me out once we'd gotten through our exams. Then he left me a quivering wreck of hormones, incapable of thinking about anything other than Cullen taking his sweet time. Oh Jesus. I spent a good while in the shower that night mulling over the endless possibilities.

.

I'd never thought I would be raring to go to boot camp, but there I was, whining at Ro to get her skates on so we could get there early, providing a potential window of opportunity to jump on Cullen. Ali was still MIA, and with her broken wrist, we wouldn't be seeing her later either. By the time I'd dragged Ro out, it was getting dark. Once the arriving car's headlights dulled, only the glow of the moon lit the fields.

We tried to keep warm by completing our stretches and jogging on the spot, our breaths visible as they crystalized in the air. Ro had been stretching her hamstring going on five minutes for McCarty's viewing pleasure.

"I think you should stretch another part of your body, Ro. You'll give yourself an injury." I bumped her ass with my hip, causing her to stumble.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm stretching my glutons. "She huffed and spread her feet, bending down to touch the ground between them, her ass sticking up in the air, making me laugh out loud.

"I think you've already got his attention, and for future reference, when you're talking to your fitness fanatical man candy: there is no such thing as glutons."

Ro and Emmett had been inseparable for the past few weeks, and I'd spent quite a few nights in on my own. Normally I'd be bored, but I had had plenty of work to finish and Cullen's constant stream of scandalous text messages to keep me entertained. He'd threatened to come over more than once, but he was easier to keep at bay from a distance. I'd promised we would make up for it afterward.

I felt like an addict looking for their next hit when it came to Cullen. I was trying so hard to ignore my cravings, but when temptation was put in front of me, it became almost impossible to turn away. Even in the dusky night, I could make out his silhouette as he rifled around in the big rucksacks, pulling out equipment and water bottles. I'd just decided to go over and say hi when someone threw themselves at him, wrapping their arms tightly around his neck. Lauren.

I had to tamp down the urge to stalk over and wrench her off him. Ro appeared next to me and tugged the back of my jacket, willing me to stay back.

"Urgh, she is so pathetic," she scoffed.

"Yeah," I answered, unconvinced as Cullen hugged her back, their heads remaining close together as they continued talking. I turned away as she made her way to stand with the group, putting my back to both of them.

Ro grabbed the zipper on my jacket, pulling it right up to my neck and fussing like my mother. "You're hot. She's not. If he doesn't see it, it's his loss," she chirped.

"Ro, that would make me feel better if she wasn't a gorgeous blonde with massive boobs."

She tutted. "Well, it's a good job you're a beautiful brunette with more class and intelligence in your left eyelash than she has in her whole body."

"And little boobs." I was whining now.

Ro squeezed my boobs. "These, my friend, are the perfect handful. Any more is just a waste." She winked at me, and I couldn't help but smile. She always knew the right thing to say. I hated feeling like this. The sensible side of my brain knew there was no point getting worked up over someone who, ultimately, I could never be with. The irrational side wanted to rip Lauren's hair out.

Cullen and McCarty addressed the group, explaining they were missing an instructor so it was going to be one big class, starting with relays, followed by a game of British Bulldog. As we all started to run, I heard my name being called by a deep voice that sent tingles to every erogenous zone in my body.

"Swan."

I stopped and turned to face him. He had his sports jacket fastened with the collar pulled almost over his mouth to keep out the cold, camo trousers and black boots. His hair was tussled every which way from Sunday.

"Yeah?" I could hear the sharp tang in my tone.

"Your shoelace is undone." He pointed at the floor.

I bent over to tie it, seeing it wasn't undone at the same moment I felt his hand groping my ass.

Bolting upright, I laughed at him, smacking his hand away. "Aren't there rules about fondling your students?"

"Probably, but I've been dying to grab your bum in those tight pants from the moment I laid my eyes on you. I couldn't resist it." He shrugged, his smile exuding his confidence.

I had to swallow back the bitter words that formed on my tongue involving Lauren. Jealously isn't a good look on anyone. "Well, keep your dirty paws off," I warned, knowing full well it would be like waving a red rag to a bull.

Holding his hands up in mock surrender, he laughed. "I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

I shook my head at him, amused as I re-joined the group who were warming up.

"You okay?" Ro asked. Her eyes skipped between me and Cullen.

"Yep. Don't worry, I kept my claws in."

"Good girl." She shot a death glare over my shoulder to where I guessed Lauren would be staring daggers into my back. The darkness would have lessened the effect of her glare, but I appreciated the gesture.

Everything was going great, and Cullen seemed to find his way over toward me as much as he could. I reveled in the thought that I'd gotton to kiss his beautiful lips. All the other girls mooning over him could kiss my ass. That was until Lauren decided to up the ante.

Ro managed to keep me away from her a much as possible, but then the group ended up in teams, battling to cross the muddy field to the opposite side, the opposing team taking you down at every opportunity, and I wasn't going to pass on my chance to take out the competition.

We lined the edge of the field. Frost was already beginning to form on the tips of the grass and the hardened ridges of mud from tractor tires, glistening under the wan light of the moon, but the field was still waterlogged in places. McCarty warned everyone to be careful for holes and twisted ankles. For once I didn't care about the dirt or the cold; I was on the lookout for Lauren. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so single minded because the minute we set off, I realized Cullen was heading straight for me with a predatory grin on his face. I sprinted away as fast as I could, but he blocked me step for step until we came to a stand-off in the middle.

"Aren't you supposed to be supervising?" I panted, breathless from the running.

"Teams were one short. I'm standing in." He was breathing hard too, and he rested his hands on his knees, posed ready to strike.

"I think you should let me past." I tensed on my toes ready to move if he lunged.

"Why would I do that?" He smiled, deviously handsome but a devil all the same.

"Because, you're twice the size of me, and faster, _and _I'm sure you'd like to remain friends. I can't guarantee that if you get me dirty." I moved slowly to the left, but he mirrored my every move. Screams and laughter echoed around the field as the game continued around us.

"I think I'll risk it." He laughed, diving for me. I managed to twist out of his grasp and sprint past him, laughing at my triumph, mud splattering up my legs and back as I ran.

My laughter was cut short as someone barreled into the side of me, swiping my legs out. I landed with a thump. The freezing cold mud seeped through the material of my leggings, as Lauren loomed over me with her arms crossed and a nasty smirk across her face. "Gotcha."

"Are you serious?" I scrambled to my feet and marched straight up to her, blood boiling through my veins. "You could have broken my leg," I fumed.

She sneered. "Get over yourself. It's part of the game."

Visions of me tackling her to the muddy ground flickered through my mind. Luckily for her, they were accompanied by my mother's voice offering her well-worn advice—_rise above it_.

I held my position, glaring at her. She backed off a little as Cullen appeared by my side.

"Nice take down, Laurie." Then he high-fived her. _What in the actual fuck_? She looked ecstatic at his praise as she walked away. My blood pressure went through the roof.

"You alright, Swan?" he asked. A huge smile spread across his face. He was clueless about the real reasons behind her little stunt and my fraying temper.

"Yes. I am fine." I snapped.

"Come on. It's only a bit of mud." He definitely had a death wish.

"Yes, it's only a bit." I slowly walked up and placed my hand on his chest. "You know how much I like to get dirty," I purred, and I could feel his warm breath on my ice-cold face. "And, I know how dirty _you_ can be," I continued, stepping even closer to him and pressing my leg near his. "But right now, I don't think you're dirty enough." I sighed as I hooked my leg behind his knee and pulled as I pushed his chest back, dropping him down onto the ground into a muddy puddle. He was quick though and pulled me down on top of him.

"Nice moves." He laughed, gripping onto me as I tried to pry myself away from him.

"I'm a police chief's daughter; I've got all the moves. Now let me up." I rubbed my filthy hands all over his face, and he let go, barking out a laugh as I jumped to my feet.

"I definitely wouldn't mess with you in a dark alley." He joked as he stood up, rubbing his face with the sleeve of his jacket.

"I wouldn't mess with me. _Ever._" I warned over my shoulder as I walked over to join the rest of the group. He'd do well to stay out of my way for a while, and Lauren—well, she's lucky that the things I wish for never come true.

.

.

I'd stomped all the way back to our dorms, incredulous at Lauren's nerve and Cullen's obliviousness. Multiple scenarios that ended up with me causing grievous bodily harm to either—or both of them—were playing over and over in my mind. I was seething.

Slamming into the room, I stripped off my jacket and trainers, hitting the play button on our decrepit stereo. Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits" blasted into the room. I stalked up and down to try and calm myself. Singing at the top of my voice was helping too.

I didn't want Cullen to know how much Lauren was winding me up. It was obvious, as much as I wanted to ignore it, that they were good friends. But he hadn't shown any inclination of feelings other than friendship toward her. I was managing to talk and sing myself down from the ledge, when a loud knock on the door froze me on the spot. I slapped my hand over my mouth. Oh shit.

Turning the volume down, I opened the door to find an extremely muddy Cullen, leaning against the wall. It was written all over his smug face—he'd heard me. The mortification extinguished the anger immediately, and I felt my cheeks heating up.

"I'm more of a "Proud Mary" man myself. Can you do a rendition of that too?" He chortled at his own joke.

"You're getting mud everywhere." I crossed my arms, immediately causing his eyes to fall to my cleavage uplifted in my sports bra.

"You can't be mad with me," he stated.

"I'm not mad with you." I shrugged. "Lauren on the other hand …" I muttered under my breath. He didn't catch it.

"Good. Because I wanted to come and tell you we're going out for the day on Saturday." He looked so pleased with himself.

"I can't make Saturday. I'm packing."

"Why? Where are you going?" He frowned, not impressed that he didn't have all the details.

"We're going home."

"Home? To America home? For good?" He looked genuinely shocked and slightly panicked, and a fizz of happiness bubbled in my stomach at his concern.

"No. Just for Christmas. We come back in January for our last semester. But … then we are going home. For good." I knew we had to address this, and a part of me felt relief that I'd said it out loud.

"Well we've not got that much time then." He moved toward me and unfolded my arms, holding my hands.

"You're not the first person to say that to me." I smiled, my thoughts returning to my conversation with Jake.

"Yep, but I'll be the last," he replied; his voice had a rough edge to it. He lifted my chin with his grubby finger. Speckles of mud covered his whole face and a large smear had dried across his cheekbone. The vivid green of his eyes were accentuated by the muckiness of his skin. "Okay?" he asked.

"In six months, I'll be returning home and you won't ever see me again. I just wanted to remind you of that." I felt like I was saying goodbye before we'd even really met.

"Bella, there's a saying that I hold very close to my heart." He cupped my face in his large hand. "Life is short, and I don't intend to waste a second of mine questioning what I want, and I want to get to know you. I've never wanted to get to know someone more."

"Not even Lauren?" The words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them, but he just chuckled. I immediately wanted to rewind the past few seconds and take them back.

"I've known her for a long time. You don't need to worry about her." His words soothed me slightly, but I had a feeling he wasn't seeing things clearly when it came to her.

I nodded, afraid to open my mouth in case any other unfortunate words escaped.

"So, can you pack earlier and make time for me?" He asked, brushing his thumb against my cheek.

There was no way in hell I was going to turn him down. "I suppose I could squeeze you in."

"Good." He kissed me quickly. I could hear doors banging, followed by Ro calling my name as she made her way upstairs. "I'll pick you up at twelve on Saturday. Dress warm."

"Why?" I asked dubiously. Did he not know me at all?

He rolled his eyes. "Trust me, will you?" He kissed me again, lingering for a moment. "See you on Saturday." He flashed my favorite crooked grin and bounded downstairs two at a time. Saturday couldn't come soon enough.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

AN: Thank you for reading.

I hope you'll all laugh, cry and LOVE Breaking Dawn 2 this week! I know I will be a blubbering wreck at the end. x

Come over to FB and join the Mud, Sweat & Beers TwiFanfic group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you there.

I'm on Twitter at SparrowNotes24 and FB SparrowNotes TwentyFour.


	10. Bicep Curls

**AN:** I hope you've all recovered from the totally amazing BD2. So good. Thanks to all who have reviewed and followed and especially those who have pimped this fic. Especially, **cutestkidsmom** who is the best thing since sliced bread.

Huge kisses my to pre-reader **GossipLips** who cuddles me with her bubbles. She has a fantastic new story out – see my rec's at the end of this chp.

This chp was beta'd by **Jcat5507** and **remylebeauishot** from PTB. Thank you ladies. **Jcat5507** you rock my socks.

Big kisses to my FB ladies for their huge support for this story and for making me laugh & swoon everyday.

**Disclaimer:** SM owns Twilight, and some girl owns a cardboard cut out of Edward, that she is going to marry in Vegas. Bonkers.

**~0~0~0~BICEP CURLS ~0~0~0~**

I spent the next week freaking out over the day out with Cullen, ruminating over potential scenarios he could have planned. I never usually let men get to me, but this one was a cut above the rest and had burrowed deep beneath my skin.

Saturday arrived, and I felt slightly sick. We'd decided, since I had to dress warm, that I'd wear my black skinny jeans and knee-high boots. Ali lent me her lucky charcoal-grey camisole. She claimed it always got her what she wanted. I wasn't sure what exactly it was I wanted, but I figured I'd work it out. Ro performed her magic, curling my hair into loose waves and applying simple makeup that accentuated my brown eyes. Then I layered on two jumpers, a warm bubble coat and a wooly scarf, spoiling their efforts.

"Take it off now," Ro ordered, exasperated with me.

"Nope. He said to dress warm," I reminded her, stuffing my matching wooly gloves into the pocket of my coat.

"Yes, but I don't think he's expecting you to turn up looking like a sumo wrestler." She tugged at the end of my scarf to unravel it, strangling me in the process.

"Get off. It's freezing outside. I've already agreed not to wear the tights under my jeans." I yanked the scarf out of her hand.

"Ali, can you talk to her, please?" Ro was shaking her head at me in frustration.

"B, I know you hate the cold, but for God's sake, you have to lose some layers. You need to show yourself off, not hide." Ali held out her hand for the gloves and sighed. "I can see I'm going to have to bribe you."

My ears perked up at that. "Go on?"

"Let's strip it back a bit. Lose the ridiculous coat, and then you can borrow my red wool one. It's really warm," she offered, playing to my worries.

I did look nice in red. "Deal." I jumped on Ali, squeezing her tightly in my arms while I peppered kisses on her cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, but it better come back in one piece. No ripping it off in the throes of passion." She wagged her finger at me.

I scoffed. "I think I can manage that."

Ali and Ro assessed me one last time, now satisfied with my simpler, and less poufy, fitted cherry-red coat and black gloves.

"Beautiful," Ro gushed. "He is one lucky guy to get to walk around with you by his side."

"I'll say." Ali agreed

I rolled my eyes at them both. "Thanks, Moms. I'll be home by ten. "

"You'd better not be home till way _way_ after that, or I'll be locking you out again," Ro warned with a mischievous smirk on her face. I could already imagine the night of naughtiness she was planning for Emmett. Ali was going to the ballet with Whitlock. I'm not sure why she was friends with Ro and me: we were more Nutcrackers than Sugar Plum Fairies.

A knock at the door sent them both into fits of giggles, and I shot them both a warning look. I felt like I was going to Prom. "Stop it." I hushed them opening the door quickly, slipping out and slamming it behind me, cutting off Ro's shout, "Remember, no glove no lo—"

I was going to kill her.

My face was glowing the same shade of red as my coat as I looked up at the drop dead gorgeous man in front of me. He was laughing, but the tips of his ears were slightly pink with embarrassment.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Oh God yes. He was back in his worn jeans and a navy pea coat, buttoned up with the collar popped. His hair was still slightly wet from his morning shower. He'd messed it up with his fingers, but a stubborn lock had fallen down onto his forehead. Mouthwatering.

"Yep. Lead the way." I smiled at him, our eyes meeting for a lingering moment. I felt a million darts of conflicting emotions invade my body, pressing into my chest before fluttering down and settling in my tummy.

.

.

Parked by the curb, was the only vehicle on the street—a bright red sports car, sleek and low. Impressive. It seemed too good to be true, and I made my way over, as he followed behind. When the reached the door, I noticed the black leather seats inside just as he bumped into my back.

"Sorry." He grasped my shoulders. "Why've you stopped?" he asked.

I looked at the car and back at him. "Your car?"

He laughed as if the idea was preposterous. "That's not my car."

"Oh, right. Where's yours then?" I asked, looking around perplexed.

"I don't have one at the moment." He shrugged. "Don't really need one."

"So we're not going far?" I probed, trying to get an inkling of his plans.

"No, we are going quite far." He smirked at me as we walked side by side along the road.

I frowned up at him, slightly confused.

He stopped, pointing up at a sign. "We're getting the bus."

I tried not to wrinkle my nose, but it was my knee-jerk reaction. It's not that I don't like public transport—okay, that's a lie—I hate it, but at this point I would have followed him off the edge of a cliff if he'd asked.

Within minutes, I found myself sitting on a bus on our way to who-knows-where. Cullen had offered his seat, across the aisle from me, to a little old lady laden with bags. He stood next to me, hanging onto the rails. His crotch was right at my eye level. Right there.

He was telling me all about his exams and his Christmas plans. I heard nothing. I managed to utter a few monosyllabic responses and nod my head at the correct moments, but my eyes were captivated by the suggestive bulge.

"Are you listening?" He tugged one of my curls, snapping me out from my "Cullen Crotch Appreciation Society" meeting. I was the sole member. No one else was welcome.

"Yes. Sorry, what did you say? This bus is quite noisy," I explained.

"Right." He looked dubious. "I was saying, we should be there in a few minutes. Look." He gestured out of the window toward rolling green hills, and a glimpse of the sea was visible on the horizon. My God, I'd been zoned out for an hour? That was how long it took to get to the nearest coastline.

"We're going to the sea?" I beamed at him. One of the things I missed the most about home was the wild bays and rocky beaches nearby.

"Yes. Is that okay?" A worried crease appeared between his brows.

"It's perfect. I absolutely love the ocean. Thank you for bringing me."

"Don't thank me yet. You don't know what I've got in store for you." He raised his eyebrow at me, a smirk tugging at his lips.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "We're not getting wet are we?"

He barked out a laugh. "Are you sure you want to ask me that?"

"Sorry, I forgot about you and your dirty mind. You've hidden it well so far today." I chuckled.

"Believe you me. It's been hard to keep it in. Especially with the way you've been staring at my dick for the past hour." He grinned at me.

I spluttered before managing to recover, clutching my hand to my chest. "I have so not been doing that." I had the decency to blush but couldn't refrain myself from adding.,"Much."

He chuckled his response, "I can honestly say, I really don't mind."

We both laughed as the bus pulled to a stop. The doors opened onto a long promenade. Cullen grabbed my hand and led me off; the fresh scent of the sea familiar and comforting the moment we stepped out.

The promenade was quiet at this time of the year. Many people had shut up their holiday homes for the winter, but Cullen explained that that there were locals who remained year-round so the shops were open. To the left of the road, a long, sandy beach stretched as far as the eye could see. It was edged by sand dunes that eventually turned into towering cliffs in the distance. Multicolored beach huts lined the foot of the grassy dunes, a splash of color in the natural landscape. People were specks on the beach from our viewpoint, mainly walkers with dogs running circles round their owners.

The sky was great and endless. The clouds' darkened bellies heavy with rain, but they shielded the chill in the air. There was only a slight breeze rustling the dune grass. The dark blue sea was churned white in places, spilling froth and clumps of seaweed up onto to the wet sand. It was beautiful.

We wandered up the promenade, peeking into the shops, and I even bought a couple of presents to take home for Christmas. Cullen told me how he used to come here every summer to visit his grandparents, who had owned a property in the village. I laughed at his stories of crab catching and sandcastle building competitions. I could vividly imagine him as a cheeky, knobby-kneed boy causing havoc. The thought made me smile.

We passed an arcade, the Victorian-styled frontage painted royal blue with gold lettering adorning it. His eyes lit up when he asked if I wanted to go in.

"Lead the way." I gestured toward the large brass handled doors that he pulled open for me. He'd definitely taken Eli's lecture about gentlemanly behavior to heart.

He dragged me over to the coin pushers—an addiction when he was younger—he explained, pulling a small plastic bag from the pocket of his jeans. It was full of copper coins. I was getting the impression he was still addicted.

"I brought change." He looked at me sheepishly, assessing my reaction.

"I wondered what you had down there. I thought you were just pleased to see me," I joked and he laughed, relieved I hadn't mentioned the fact it was a totally geeky thing to do. I watched his animated face as he gave me a handful of coins and explained how to play. I already knew, but I enjoyed his infectious enthusiasm, so I let him.

We played for five minutes, and he was getting frustrated with his luck. "If I can get this one to land right on the edge, they'll all fall off," he explained.

I'd already used all my coins, so I moved my attention back to him, giggling as he painstakingly planned each drop of the coin, totally overreacting when it didn't go as he wanted.

"Can I try?" I held out my hand for a coin. He looked genuinely reluctant to give me one of his remaining few, but he dropped one in my palm, giving me instructions on which slot to use.

"I've got it," I told him. I chose a slot, watching the coin tumble all the way down, and as it landed, I bumped the machine with my hip, causing coins to cascade down into the gutter. I smirked at him when he gave me a look of horror that quickly turned into a chuckle, shaking his head at me.

"That's cheating," he told me sternly, but his eyes showed his amusement.

"Not cheating … just … using my ingenuity." I shrugged and began collecting up all the coins. "I think we've come out even."

"Aren't you the daughter of a police chief?" he asked.

"You're not gonna tell him, are you?" I narrowed my eyes at him playfully.

"I'll have to decide that when I meet him," he said with such confidence. I smiled but couldn't help but think that it was an impossibility, and the thought unsettled me.

He took my hand as we walked back toward the beach, grabbing some fries wrapped in newspaper on the way from a sidewalk vendor, or chips as he called them. We sat on the sea wall with our legs dangling over the edge as we ate.

"I love the sea," I mused, watching the swells rise and fall below our feet.

"Me too," he agreed. "I like to just sit and watch it. You can zone out looking at and listening to the waves —it's soothing. I come here a lot to think."

I studied him out of the corner of my eye; he was staring straight ahead with a troubled expression on his face. "It's nice you have somewhere like this to come to. I walk or run when I want to think. The woods around my home have trails winding through them. I can get lost in my thoughts for hours."

"I'd love that, too. After the heat of the deserts in Afghanistan, I appreciate greenery and the sea a lot more than before." He laughed softly.

"Will you have to go back?" I asked, dreading that his answer would be yes.

"Hopefully not. I left the army last year, but I'm still in the Reserves. I can volunteer to go back, or I may get called up in the event of an emergency, but I'm trying to start a life outside the army now." He smiled meaningfully as he spoke.

"Why did you choose to leave?" I asked. Finishing the last "chip", I scrunched the newspaper into a ball, looking around for a bin to put it in. I hadn't noticed that he'd not replied right away.

I turned to look at him. He wore an expression of fatigue, as if a heavy load had pressed down on his shoulders, where a moment ago, he'd not a care in the world. He scrubbed his face with his hands, and I was about to change the subject when he spoke, still facing the churning sea. "My best friend was killed, and I'd been in the Army for four years, so I thought it was time to come home." He spoke quickly. So quick, that if the impact of those first five words wasn't so completely heart wrenching, I would have missed them.

The sharp slap of shock had clenched my heart with sympathy for him. A palpable sadness filled the pause before I spoke, struggling to find the right words. "I'm so sorry."

The words seemed inadequate, but he nodded and faced me, a small smile on his face. "Thank you."

He took the trash from my hands and swung his legs back over the wall, walking over to get rid of it in a nearby bin. I watched his retreating form, and my heart broke for him. I have known Rosalie for nearly my whole life and couldn't imagine losing her, especially to something so devastating as war.

When he returned, he held out of his hands, his features schooled back into his handsome, flirtatious smile. "Come on, I want to show you something."

We walked down the steps and onto the beach. He told me all about his parents and how they were jet setters, travelling around the world from one exotic location to the other. It was evident they were a close-knit family by the way his face showed complete adoration when he spoke about them. Currently, they were on a cruise around the Mediterranean. He'd received a postcard this morning, depicting azure blue coves and white sandy beaches. We laughed as he told me the message they had scrawled—positive they had been drunk on sangria as they wrote it.

The sand was wet, leaving impressions of our path, as we made our way along and up toward the sand dunes, where it became softer, hiding our footprints.

Wooden beach huts lay in front of us at the bottom of the dunes, and we headed straight for them. They varied in color; many were faded with the paint worn down by the relentless, coarse sea wind. We stopped outside a white hut with dark blue trim painted around the small window and the door. Cullen dug a key out of his pocket.

"This is yours?" I asked, shocked and excited at once.

"Well, technically, my grandparents left it to my parents, and since they are gallivanting around the world, I guess it is mine." He walked up the wooden steps onto the terrace—small enough to fit a chair but nothing more.

He wriggled the key in the lock for a minute before it clicked. "It's getting rusty," he explained as he pulled open the door, standing back to let me enter first.

"This is incredible." I poked my head into the hut. It was tiny with a small desk and chair along one wall and a couple of stripy deck chairs folded up along the other. A worn Persian rug covered the whole of the floor. Wicker baskets sat on it up against the wall, full of rolled up towels and picnic blankets. Another had windbreakers, buckets and spades, bats and ball. The usual beach paraphernalia. It was fairly dark inside, only the light from a small window and the open door revealing the room.

"It's more for storage than to stay in. You can hardly move in it." He laughed.

"It's perfect. You're so lucky to be able to come here." I was in awe of the little haven.

"I thought you might like it. Shall we go for a walk? Then we can come back here and maybe … watch the sun set?" He sounded unsure of himself for the first time in, well—ever.

"Who knew you could be so romantic?" I joked.

"You do realize I'm only trying to get into your pants, don't you?" He smirked, dodging my hand as I went to smack him.

"I'd expect nothing less from you." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Is it working?" he asked. His eyes held their familiar mischievous glint.

I crossed my arms and tried to adjust my features into an offended expression, but I couldn't hold it, and my lips mirrored his ubiquitous smirk. "Maybe."

Once he'd locked up, we spent the next few hours walking down the long beach. I picked up empty shells and unusual rocks with pretty patterns and hues to take back for Ro. She missed our beach at home as much as I did. We talked about everything and nothing, learning we were both only children, used to getting our own way. We loved spicy food and enjoyed nothing more than a cold bottle of beer on a hot summer's day. Cullen was disgusted when I admitted that I didn't like gangster movies and promised me he would see to it personally that my opinions would change.

The clouds above had darkened, and the breeze picked up, whipping my hair around. He'd pulled me into his side to cocoon me from the wind as best he could.

"What happens if it rains?" I looked up at the ominous clouds.

"Well, water will fall in tiny droplets from the sky and—"

I elbowed him in the side. "You know what I mean. We're miles away from the huts."

He chuckled at me. "I'm afraid if it rains, we're going to get wet."

I groaned, causing him to laugh even more.

"For someone who hates to get wet and muddy, why did you decide to join a boot camp where water and dirt are a given?" he asked.

"Ro made me." I shrugged.

"You don't seem like the kind of girl who can be made to do anything she doesn't want to."

"Perhaps there was something in it for me." I quirked my eyebrow at him.

"Oh really, and what was that?" he asked with a wry smile.

"I saw this really _really_ hot instructor, and it gave me an incentive." I smirked up at him.

He stopped and drew me in front of him, his arms wrapped around my waist. "How's that going for you?"

I sighed. "Well, it turned out that McCarty had eyes from someone else, so I had to make do with you."

He threw his head back and laughed a deep rumbling laugh that shook his whole body. He brushed some of the flyaway hairs, which were being blown by the wind, from across my face and leaned down to kiss my lips. "Well, his loss is my gain."

I laughed into his lips before he deepened the kiss, pulling me flush to his body. I stood on my tiptoes, stretching and wrapping my arms around his neck, happiness and desire flooding my whole being. I lost myself in his kiss. Even the few drops of rain that splashed onto my upturned face didn't register. It was only after the heavens opened and rain poured down on us—our hair and clothes dripping wet—that we finally pulled apart. Rivulets of water ran down our faces, and our lips and cheeks were flushed red.

"Quick, let's run," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. I squealed with wild delight as we ran back down the beach, dodging the growing lace of streams and puddles that covered the sand.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

AN: Thank you for reading x

Here are some fics recs for you (all in my fav stories)…

**The Celestial Way** by **GossipLips** - A unique story about forbidden love– some serious UST coming your way.

**Because of a boy** by **cutestkidsmom** –A touching love story - between not only B&E but also a mother and her wonderful autistic son.

**Beneath the Surface **by **My-Bella** – E is a cocky shark expert and B joins his crew on the water in Africa.

Come over and say hi at my Mud, Sweat & Beers TwiFanfic group on FB (link on my profile).

I'm on Twitter at SparrowNotes24 and FB SparrowNotes TwentyFour.


	11. Squat Thrusts

**AN:** ****Mud, Sweat and Beers** has been nominated for fic of the week on **The Lemonade Stand!**** thanks to my guardian fic angel **cutestkidsmom **ILY. I'd love it if you could head over there and vote for me. I'll send a wet, muddy Cullen your way in thanks ;). The link is on my profile.

Love to my to my star pre-reader **GossipLips** who couldn't do more for me and **Eternally Edward's Girl **my lemony goddess.

This chp was beta'd by **DeanWinchester-myheart** and **JulieToo** from PTB. Thank you muchly.

To everyone in my FB groups – you make my day ILY guys.

**Disclaimer:** SM owns Twilight.

Enjoy!

* * *

**~0~0~0~SQUAT THRUSTS ~0~0~0~**

* * *

By the time we made it back to the little beach hut, we were soaked through to the bone. Cullen fumbled, trying to get the key out of the pocket of his wet jeans, as I huddled under the shelter provided by the little porch.

"Shit. I can't get it open," he said, jiggling the doorknob.

"Do you want me to try?" I offered. "I've got little hands."

He laughed as the door lock finally clicked. "How do you think little hands would help?"

"I don't know, I was trying to be useful." I ducked under his arm and into the dark room, immediately catching my foot on the edge of the rug and tripping. Luckily, I managed to grab onto the chair before I landed face first on the floor.

"Hold on, let me light the lamp before you break your neck." He grabbed a box of matches from a shelf higher up on the wall and lit up an old-fashioned brass oil lamp, hanging it from a hook so that it emitted a warm flickering glow. I was absolutely freezing, grateful for shelter. My hair was plastered to my face and shivers racked my body as he closed the door; which at least cut off the biting wind.

"Here, take your coat off. It's sopping wet." He unbuttoned his own and hung it on a hook on the back of the door, adding mine once I'd peeled it off.

Grabbing some towels from the basket, he handed me one, using another to dry his hair.

"I didn't think this through very well," he admitted.

"It's okay. A little rain never hurt anybody." There was no way in the world I wanted to take back anything that had happened today. It had been perfect.

Using the towel, I tried to soak up the water from my drenched hair, twisting it around to squeeze as much out as possible.

"I'm sure there is a heater in here somewhere." He rummaged around in a box on the floor, tossing out more blankets and cushions and handing me a tartan, wool blanket that I accepted gratefully and wrapped around my shoulders.

The wind was howling down the beach now, and the rain drummed steadily on the roof.

"Ah, I've found it." He plugged a small heater in, and I moved to hold my hands over it, desperate for some warmth.

"I'm impressed there's electricity," I said.

"There's a small generator behind the huts. It's handy for desperate times like now." He smiled at me from his crouched position on the floor where he was still searching for something. Holding up a bottle of wine a minute later, he looked pleased with himself. "I knew this was here somewhere."

Once he stood up, the room seemed a hell of a lot smaller, and I had to move out of the way for him as he searched the drawer of the desk, finally pulling out a bottle opener. "The good news is, we've got the bottle opener, but the bad news is, there aren't any glasses." He smirked, his eyes roving over me. I dreaded to think what I looked like.

"Glasses are over-rated." I shrugged my shoulders, pulling the blanket tighter. My jeans were soaked through, sticking to my legs.

"Are you still cold?" He left the bottle on the desk and rubbed my arms to warm them up.

"A bit. Better now though." I suddenly became aware of how close to me he was standing and my heart skipped a beat. My cheeks warmed, flushed from the heat that had bloomed inside me.

"Maybe you should get out of those wet clothes," he spoke quietly; his hands had halted their rhythm.

"Maybe you should get out of yours," I responded, looking up at his face, shadowed but strong and angular in the weak light of the lamp.

He lifted his hand and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear before leaning down and kissing me gently. I parted my lips and ran my tongue along his bottom lip, tasting salt from our walk alongside the sea. Moaning into my mouth as his tongue met mine; he took the blanket from my shoulders, dropping it to the floor. His hands caressed achingly slowly down my sides until he reached my hips, grasping and picking me up. He nipped the bottom of my lip with his teeth and lust shot to every nerve ending in my body, heat instantly pooling between my thighs. I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck, and pressed myself as close to him as possible. I was needy for the friction his hard body would provide.

He stumbled forward, laughing as we bumped into the desk. The bottle of wine fell to the floor with a loud thump. "Shit!" I gasped.

He pulled away for a moment to check that we'd not smashed it everywhere. "It's fine," he said and sat me on the desk, pulling my bottom to the edge. I hooked my legs around his hips, grabbing his damp t-shirt and twisting it with my fist, drawing him closer. As he peppered kisses across my jaw and down my neck, goose bumps travelled across my skin causing an involuntary shiver.

"Not warm yet?" he mumbled into my neck as he licked and sucked my sensitive skin.

"No," I answered, my voice quavering slightly with the arousal building in my body from his touch.

He lifted the strap of my camisole and let it drop off my shoulder, exposing the curves of my breasts above my bra, repeating the same action with the other side. I let my head fall back as he trailed kisses onto my chest, curling my fingers into his damp hair as his cold hands, a shock to my now warm skin, dipped into my bra, caressing the pebbled skin.

I moaned at the sensations of his cool fingertips, gasping at the shocking change in temperature, when the warm wetness of his mouth and tongue covered my breasts. All these heavenly assaults on my skin increased the wetness between my parted thighs. He flicked his tongue against my nipple and pulled it into his mouth muttering unintelligible things under his breath and then swapped to pay attention to the other side. His hair tickled my face, and I inhaled his mouthwatering, soapy scent. Returning his lips to nibble on the skin behind my ear, he ground his hips into me, and I could feel him rock hard, right where I needed it.

"Off. Get it off." I desperately tried to get his wet, clinging t-shirt off, wanting to feel his heated skin against mine.

He laughed, barely breaking away as he pulled it over his head revealing the canvas he spent so much time perfecting with his ball-busting workouts. I immediately grabbed him but he flinched away at my touch.

"Jesus Christ, your hands are frozen." He grabbed onto them, pinning them by my sides as his eyes ran over my exposed curves, my chest heaving with desire.

"You are so fucking beautiful." Grabbing the edge of my camisole he lifted it over my head and tossed it to the floor. He then made quick work of unfastening my navy lace bra, which followed the cami on the floor within seconds.

My eyes devoured his body, and I itched to touch him. Raising my hand again, he flinched slightly then braced himself as I lightly brushed my fingers across his collarbone and down his torso, all the way to the waistband of his jeans. His skin was silky soft, yet ripped with chiseled definition, and I wanted to kiss every single inch of him. A breath caught in his mouth as I ran my finger along his waistband; the outline of his arousal pressing against the zipper of his jeans.

His heart thundered under my palms, matching the rhythm of my own as I met his expressive eyes, wishing I could lose myself in them forever. His hands squeezed my thighs, pulling me roughly toward him. His hardness rubbed against the seam of my jeans, the pressure eliciting pleasurable sparks .

I gasped and smirked at him. "Patience," I warned, trailing my fingers toward the tattoo that curled up his side. Using my index finger, I traced the swirls of the inked pattern slowly all the way down—from the top of his ribs to his hips. He shuddered under my touch, shallow breaths evident in the rise and fall of his chest.

"What does it say?" I whispered, studying the markings, trying to make sense of the foreign words. Latin.

"Life is short," He murmured and drew in a deep breath, as I moved to the smaller writing that dipped diagonally into his jeans. Following its route, I asked, "And this?"

"Love is eternal." He barely said it out loud, but our eyes met and a multitude of emotions swam in his darkened gaze. Life is short. Love is eternal. I think I fell for him there and then.

"Stop teasing me, Bella," he warned, bringing the playfulness back into the moment.

I cocked my head at him, a wry smile on my lips before I carried on, tracing the words into the waist band of his jeans, guessing their route, until I grabbed hold of him, swollen and hard in my hand, causing him to moan. "Fuck."

He grabbed my face pulling it to his lips; my nipples brushing against his chest as my hand stroked him, coaxing louder moans, expletives and shudders as I increased the pressure. His fingers had deftly undone the buttons of my own jeans, and he yanked them down exposing my matching lace panties, painstakingly chosen for this very reason.

I let go of him and lifted my bottom of the desk as he peeled them down my legs, getting them stuck on my boots. "You need to take my boots off."

"Hold on a second." He lifted my leg up and inspected the obstacle.

"It's a zipper." I was starting to feel exposed: half naked with my jeans partly off and my leg in the air. I heard the zip go down, and seconds later he tugged at it, pulling me half off the desk.

"Ah, I'm gonna fall!" I yelped, scrambling to pull myself back onto the hard surface.

"Sorry." He chuckled. "I can't get it off."

"You need to wiggle it off," I instructed him, covering my face with my arm bent over my head to hide my embarrassment.

Once he'd removed one, he started on the second. "This would be less embarrassing if I wasn't naked." I sighed.

"I'm not complaining." He smiled at me, his eyes lingering from my panties to my naked chest. The beach hut had warmed up, but I still felt like I wanted to cover up with the blanket under his intense stare.

"Can you just hurry up and get it off so we can carry on?" I was cringing now as he wiggled my foot, removing my boots causing my breasts to jiggle along. I covered them with my arm, but thankfully, within seconds the boots and jeans were off, and he was back between my thighs.

"Now that's much better," he said, his fingers pressing into the skin of my hips, his thumbs running back and forth along the lace edge of my panties.

"While we're having a mortifyingly embarrassing moment, I might as well ask … have you got a condom?" I hid my face in his chest, feeling his body vibrate with his deep laugh and then abruptly stop.

"Shit. I wasn't really—" he started before I butted in.

"Get my purse," I ordered him. "At least some of us are prepared, and get those jeans off."

He laughed, finding the foil packet that Ro had kindly forced me to bring. At least someone was being sensible.

All it took was a look of pure lust from Cullen and I grabbed him, pulling him toward me. His fingers found their way up the inside of my thigh, slipping under the edge of my panties. I panted with anticipation as he slowly dipped them into me, coating them with my wetness before expertly driving me toward the best orgasm of my life. Feeling it coil tighter and tighter in my belly, his tongue devouring my mouth at the same time that his fingers pressed every single button I had—I couldn't take it a second longer.

"Now. I want you now." I moaned, pulling at the elastic on his boxers and freeing his hard cock. He practically ripped my panties down as I tore the condom wrapper with my teeth, rolling it along his length as he continued to lick and nip my shoulder and neck. I grabbed his hips and guided him between my legs. As his forehead fell against mine, inch by inch, he slowly pushed into me, the sensations exploding through my body. I'd never felt something so good, so right.

Whimpering into each other's mouths and breathing each other's breaths, he increased his pace, as I lifted my hips to meet him thrust for thrust.

The feelings building through my body were making me lose my mind, as he lifted me from the desk turning and ungracefully tumbling onto the floor, pulling out in the awkward position. I gasped at the loss and then we both laughed as he laid his heavy body on top of me, hot skin pressed against mine. A mound of towels and cushions protected my back from the rug covered wooden floor.

His mouth found mine as he hooked my right leg over his arm and thrust into me again, deeper this time. I was delirious at the feeling.

"Fuck, Bella," he spluttered between kisses and bites he left on my lips and neck. "I can't …"He moaned. "You feel so good. Fuck."

"I want—" I tried to respond, but he switched positions and pulled me onto his lap so I straddled him, and grasped me hard to his body as he continued his rhythm. Stars were beginning to fog my eyes, and my moans were getting loader and louder, oblivious to anyone who may have been walking past. "Oh shit, Cullen." I grasped onto his hair as our bodies slick with sweat slid against each other.

"Don't call me that," he spoke against my mouth, his words muffled.

"Well what—"I started but didn't finish as he thrust hard upwards causing my head to fall back and my body being to shake. "Come for me, baby," he whispered, and his words triggered a reaction that exploded from deep inside, throbbing and clenching, the ripples spreading through my whole body, as I screamed into his mouth, breath raspy and hoarse.

"Fuck, Bella." He moaned and grasped my hips tightly, burying his face into my chest, and I felt him come undone inside me.

We stayed wrapped together, out of breath and utterly euphoric, until the chill of the hut and the sound of the rain outside reminded us that it was absolutely fucking freezing.

…

Curled up amongst a mismatch of blankets and towels, warm and satisfyingly achy, I waited for Cullen to return from town. We had decided to stay in our wooden haven for the night, and he'd gone to get some necessary supplies, chocolate being my number one request. I'd hung my jeans near the heater in the vain attempt to get them dry. Hanging around Cullen in my panties was proving counterproductive to us talking, but hell, at least we were getting to know one another in other ways.

The rain had finally stopped and the sun was setting. After texting Ro to let her know our plans, I'd been inundated with messages demanding details and warnings that photographic evidence was a necessity. Watching Cullen getting dressed in the dim light of the lamp was something I wouldn't forget in a hurry. I'd forced myself not to blink for the entire time, hoping the image would be etched in my memory forever. I was beginning to think Ro had a point.

I was mulling over his request not to call him Cullen, wondering whether he just wanted me to use his first name or whether there was something more to it. I'd decided I'd ask him later. The rustle of a plastic bag and a clank of glass against the stairs followed by a curse alerted me to his return. He placed the bag on the floor and ran his eyes over me. "I could get used to this."

I fluffed up a cushion behind me and sat up against it, pulling the covers over me. "Good, 'cause I want to live here."

"You could never live here." He chuckled, throwing a bar of chocolate in my direction.

"Why not? I'd need to get something more comfortable to sleep on, but I think I could survive."

He toed his boots off and shrugged out of his jacket, coming to sit next to me with his legs stretched out in front of him. "Survive? You do know that there is a town five minutes away? This isn't a desert island where you'd be forced to catch your meals using a sharpened stick and to climb trees for coconuts."

"I know that." I rolled my eyes at him. "I can just see it now. I'd spend my days painting watercolor beach scenes and making jewelry out of shells. I could sell them, make a living," I said, wistfully.

"You're an artist?" he asked.

"Nope, but this is my fantasy, I can be what I like," I informed him while he laughed shaking his head at me.

"I can think of much better fantasies," he added.

I groaned at him. "I don't doubt it for a second."

"What I meant is, you could never survive because there is no bathroom."

"Ah, I was going to ask you about that." I was eyeing the bottle of wine, but didn't dare drink any until I knew what our bathroom situation was.

"You can walk into town. There are public toilets there. Or you can just go in the sea or in the sand dunes." He laughed.

"Are you for real? It's like the Antarctic outside." I shivered at the thought, deciding I'd pass on the wine.

"You'll warm up when you're in there." He smirked at me now.

"In where?"

"The sea."

"Why are you talking about this like it's happening?" I turned my body so I could face him.

"It's a tradition. You have to go in the sea."

"Erm … no." I pulled the blanket around me, the thought of the cold water giving me goose bumps.

"You're not even thinking about it before you say no?"

"I am thinking. I'm thinking you're crazy."

"Come on, it'll be fun." He stood up and grabbed some dark green board shorts from a box. "I'm sure there's something you can wear in here."

"I don't care if there's a full body wetsuit and a rubber dinghy in there. I'm not going in the ocean." He threw a wetsuit at me.

"No dinghy, but I've got a lilo." He held up a fluorescent yellow bundle of plastic.

"No way." I shook my head vigorously, hoping he'd get the message.

Dropping the lilo back into the box, he crouched down in front of me with a devious smirk on his face. "I could always make you."

"I could always kick you so hard in your balls that you'd be searching for them for months." I cocked my head at him.

He held his hand up. "Okay, point taken. Look, I'm gonna go. Why don't you come down with me, you can hold my towel." He laughed, and I wondered whether it was an odd British innuendo, or if I was developing a dirty mind from spending too much time with him. "There are some of my t-shirts and jackets here. You could wear them, and your jeans are nearly dry."

I pondered it for a minute and decided I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to watch him get half naked again.

"Okay, but I'm not coming in to rescue you if you're drowning."

"Deal." He chuckled, handing me a large black t-shirt and a navy windbreaker with his name embossed on the back in large white letters, an insignia of the Army Air Corps on the breast.

As we headed down to the shoreline, the sun was low on the horizon, tinting the sky and the now patchy cloud pink. I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the incredible scenery in front of me, but I could see he was already shivering.

"You are a glutton for punishment." I took all this clothes in my arms as he grabbed my face and planted a kiss on my lips.

"You sure I can't tempt you?"

I looked at the vast, darkening sea for a millisecond before I answered, a shiver running up my spine. "I'm good. I'll just stand here and watch."

"Okay then. Here goes." He turned and ran into the sea, immediately diving into an oncoming wave and surfacing seconds later with a loud "BLOODY HELL!" which made me laugh loudly. He stuck with it for a minute or two before running back out and straight for me.

I backed away from him, holding his clothes and towel out as protection, hoping he'd just take them. Instead he let out an incredibly evil laugh and chased me up the beach. Throwing all his stuff in the air, I made a run for it, but he caught me in no time picking me up and throwing me over his ice cold shoulder.

Screaming and kicking, I listed all the vile and awful things I was going to do to him, but he just chuckled and walked into the surf, threatening to flip me off his shoulder into the freezing water. At the last second, he turned around and set me down on the ground, running to grab his towel and rapidly drying himself off before pulling on his t-shirt and jacket.

He drew me into his arms and I could feel his whole body shaking. His feet, still bare, must have been blocks of ice. "I couldn't resist," he murmured into my hair.

"You would have been signing your death warrant if you'd dropped me in." I wrapped my arms around his body and hugged him tightly, warming myself as well as trying to warm him.

As I looked up he pressed his cold and bluish tinted lips against mine. "I thought getting you wet might have been the last straw."

"You're just coming to that conclusion now?" I chuckled, grabbing his hand and leading him back to warmth.

"Yes. It's finally sunk in." He tapped his head. "No water, dirt or cold."

As we got to the steps of the hut, I stopped and turned around, one step above him at eye level. "Actually there is one exception to the rule."

"What?" He wrapped his hands around my hips, tucking them into the back pockets of my jeans.

"Well… the rain," I explained.

He looked slightly bemused.

I cupped my hand against his jaw, brushing my thumb over a drop of water he'd missed on his cheek. "You can drag me outside … just to kiss me in the rain … any day."

He answered me with a kiss that seared through my soul. Then he made true on his promise from the library—to take his time making me feel good. Over and over again.

**~0~0~0~0~0~**

* * *

**AN**: Sooo … how was that for you?!

Thank you for reading and thank you in advance if you vote for this fic on **The Lemonade Stand** xx

Here are some fics recs for you …

**Corporate Affairs** by **Chocaholic123** - E and B lock horns at work – seriously hot sparks will fly

**A Whisper of Chaos** by **theonlykyla** – some angsty troubled ExB – it's going to be a bumpy ride.

**We were here **by** Lolapops – **one of my all time favourite fics**.**

Come over to FB and join the **Mud, Sweat & Beers TwiFanfic** group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	12. Bicycle Kicks

**AN:** Just wanted to say a huge HUGE thank you to all of you who voted for me on the TLS. I think I came joint 9th overall which is incredible.

Hugs to my to my pre-reader **GossipLips.** Check out her new fic **The Celestial Way** - forbidden love and stuffed full of lust and tension - it's in my favs.

This chp was beta'd by **GetDrunkOnVictory** and **Jennrosee** from PTB. Thank you guys. I faffed with it so all mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer:** SM owns Twilight.

* * *

**~0~0~0~ BICYCLE KICKS ~0~0~0~**

"Ro, you're drooling on my shoulder." I nudged her head to no avail. She'd been fast asleep from the moment they turned the seatbelt sign off, using me as a pillow and blocking me from going to the bathroom. I was starting to get slightly uncomfortable, but I felt mean waking her up after her very emotional, and slightly sickening, good bye with Emmett at the airport.

Cullen hadn't been able to make it. He had to attend some compulsory army training, but as I pressed my fingertips to my lips, I remembered the kiss he'd left me with when he dropped me home. A kiss that made my knees wobble like jelly.

I was buzzing with excitement at the thought of seeing my parents after being away for so long. I'd never spent Christmas anywhere else, and I wasn't about to miss one now. Ro, whom my parent's considered their second daughter, and her mom, always spent Christmas with us, since Mr. Hale had been out of the picture for a long time.

Eventually, desperate to pee, I'd had to wake Ro up. She grouched at me for a minute, but by the time I returned from the bathroom, her giddiness over Emmett had returned, and she regaled me with way, _way_ too much information of what they'd been getting up to. I admitted Cullen and I had sex. She responded by unleashing an earsplitting screech, causing half the plane to panic. That racquet earned Rosalie a nice telling off from the haughty flight attendant, and I stuck my tongue out at her when the lady left.

"Oh, it sounds so romantic and hot."

"It was. I had an absolutely amazing time." I sighed. My mind drifted off, remembering his exquisite adoration for my body as his hands eagerly explored every inch. Those remnants of our evening together heated my skin, and I squirmed in my seat.

"You dirty slut! Spill. What's giving you that goofy ass grin?" Ro demanded, grabbing my kneecap and squeezing.

"Ouch. Get off." I pushed her hand off. "What do you mean? I've told you everything."

"I don't think so. You looked like you just had an orgasm."

"Shhh, Ro, for _Christ's_ sake."

"Oh my god. You've got it so bad."

I huffed, pulling out a magazine in an effort to change the subject. "He's okay." I shrugged. "Oh, look, here's an article on the recent kidnapping of reindeers for Christmas nativity scenes. Isn't that horrendous?" I tsked shaking my head until she ripped the magazine out of my hands.

"I don't give a crap about that. I want details, woman. You can't stick your head in the sand like an ostrich," she chided, turning in her seat to capture my full attention.

"I don't know what you want me to say," I exasperated, throwing my hands in the air. "Yes I like him. I think he likes me. But what's the point?" I felt a pang of sadness.

"B, come on." Ro grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "It'll all work out if he's the one."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I said I like him, and he's as sexy as hell, but I hardly know him."

"You don't fool me. I've never seen you light up as much as you do around him. Hell, I'm falling for Emmett already too," she said misty eyed.

"We live thousands of miles away from them. How would it work?"

"Just go with it, and when it comes to us leaving, we can see how we feel and … I don't know … people do have successful long distance relationships."

She realized that she was grasping at straws, and I could see some of the enthusiasm die as she considered the reality of the situation.

Deciding that this kill joy conversation was over, I waved myself off. "Ignore me. I've got my Negative Nancy panties on today."

"Yeah. It'll all work out if it's meant to be." She nodded her head matter-of-factly. She held a lot of stock in fate. I wasn't so sure.

She elbowed me as the seatbelt sign pinged, signaling the plane's decent toward the runway. We got buckled up and she turned to me. "Can you put your Sally Sexpot panties on now _please,_ and tell me what happened in the Hut of Hotness?"

.

.

It was Christmas Eve by the time we came though arrivals to be greeted by our parents. My dad was in his police uniform, and our moms held up a banner with _Welcome Home Bella & Rose_ in huge lettering and a naked baby picture of us in a bath tub.

"I'm gonna kill them," I grumbled as Ro squealed and ran, jumping into her mom's arms.

I hugged my parents tightly. Their familiar smells—my mom's magnolia perfume mixed with the sugary smell of baking that always surrounded her and my dad's woody cologne—made me feel at home.

Dad grabbed our bags and slung them over his shoulder as mom fussed over us, stating she was going to fatten us up. Apparently, we looked too skinny. Noticing the way the belt on Dad's trousers dug in and the stretched material of his shirt, it was obvious she'd already started on him.

"So good to have you back, baby. I missed you." Mom hugged her arm around my waist as we walked to the car. She was beautiful despite the fine wrinkles that edged her hazel eyes. I'd gotten my dads deep brown eyes, and I'd always wished mine were the lighter amber flecked irises of my mother's.

Ro and her mom, Rini, could have passed as her sisters with their long blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She'd smothered me in kisses, and I could feel the sticky lipstick on my cheek.

I turned back to my mom. "I'm so glad to be back. What do we need to do before tomorrow?" I asked knowing that the festivities this year would likely be of epic proportions.

"You girls can help prep some of the food."

I crooked an eyebrow at her. "You want us to help with the cooking?"

She shrugged. "I want to spend as much time as possible together, and if that means risking the fate of the whole Christmas dinner, I'll do it."

Dad piped up in his gruff voice, "No touching the desserts. I can handle the turkey being a catastrophe, but if something happens to my apple and pecan pies, I will give you up for adoption."

"I'm thrilled with the confidence you have in me," I deadpanned as we all piled into the car and headed home. We dropped Ro and Rini off at their house with strict instructions about what time they had to come over in the morning.

Once we arrived home, I headed to my old room, lying on my bed as I switched my phone back on for the first time since the flight. It beeped immediately. Cullen.

**Hey beautiful let me know you got home safe.**

My pulse picked up immediately and my whole body trilled with happiness at that small sentence. I really, _really_ had it bad. I sent one back telling him we'd arrived, and within a minute my phone beeped again.

**I miss your face.**

Damn him. I had a maniacal grin on my face, holding my phone like it was the Holy Grail. I snorted and threw it onto the bed and started to unpack. Only a heartbeat passed by before I lunged for the only connection I had to him, sending a text back telling him I missed him too.

**I miss getting you wet.**

Honestly. He was going to kill me. I responded with a smiley faced wink and told him to go to bed. I'd worked out on my fingers that it was midnight back in England. It was four o'clock here. Dirty sexting wasn't the same when it was the middle of the afternoon. I knew that was boring, but I had to function around my father for the rest of the night.

**Have a good night Bella**

I was slightly disappointed he didn't carry on even though it was me who told him to stop. I was losing my mind.

I spent the rest of the evening catching up with my parents, but, even knowing it was the middle of the night for Edward, I spent the whole evening glancing at my phone approximately once every ten minutes. Even Mom commented on it. I blamed Rosalie.

I'd usually be getting excited about Christmas but this year, as I lay in bed, only one thing was dominating my thoughts – Cullen.

.

.

The mouth-watering smell of bacon and jingling of Christmas songs blaring from Mom's small kitchen awoke me early on Christmas morning. Jumping out of bed, I grabbed my worn hoody with holes in the cuffs, and slung it on as I made my way down the stairs. My phone clutched in my hand, I was elated to see a text from Cullen wishing us a Merry Christmas and I fired one back to him in reply.

Spotting my dad, he was standing by the stove, shaking the griddle back and forth over the flames dressed in his hideous Christmas sweater made me laugh. I rolled my eyes at him as he planted a kiss on my forehead. "Ho ho ho. Merry Christmas," he said in his best Santa voice.

"You too, Dad. Where's Mom?"

"Out in the garden, getting some of that green twiggy stuff." He waved the spatula in the air and shrugged his shoulders. For someone who was married to a chef, he really was clueless.

"I think the word you're looking for is herbs. Rosemary, thyme, sage?"

"Yeah that's the one," he replied, turning back to his famous breakfast—the one thing he was legendary at.

Chuckling, I pulled on Dad's work boots and my winter parka before heading out to find Mom.

It wasn't a white Christmas, but a light dusting of snow covered the garden. Mom was in her allotment. I could see her, bent over with her foot up on the railway sleeper that lined the beds, snipping at the coarse rosemary bush with her secateurs.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," I said to catch her attention.

She stood up, her eyes sparkling and her nose red from the cold air. "Merry Christmas, darling. Now, go back inside before you catch a cold. I'll be along in a minute. I need you to start on the vegetables."

"Okay, okay, I'm going back inside."

A quack coming from nearby reminded me that I needed to do something.

"Mom, can you do me one favor before I go in?"

She'd moved onto weeding now, getting distracted from her original task. "Sure, what?"

"Erm … hold this for a second." I handed her my phone and headed to get Julie, our duck. I chased her for a few moments as she waddled away before I scooped her up and tucked her under my arm, tickling her white neck as she tried to peck at me.

Mom wore a bemused expression as I asked, "Can you take a picture of us."

Raising one eyebrow suspiciously, she smirked. "A picture of you … and the duck? What would you need that for?"

"No reason. Come on, Mom. Like you said, it's freezing out here in my pajamas." Crap. I remembered I had my old and pretty unattractive, childish My Little Pony PJs on. "Just take a head shot."

She laughed. "I don't suppose this has anything to do with a boy?"

"Erm … nope. What makes you think that?"

"Oh, no reason. I was just getting worried that I was going to have to get your phone surgically removed from your hand." She shrugged, snapping the picture. "That and the silly smile you've had on since you got home. You don't have to tell me now. I'll just ask Ro."

I groaned knowing that Ro wouldn't hold back on the details. Any details. She had no shame.

"I'll tell you after we've opened our presents." I placed Julie back on the floor and she pecked at my boots in annoyance.

Mom laughed, shaking her head as she linked her arm through mine, and we headed back inside smelling decidedly fragrant.

After the flurry of unwrapping presents, Ro and Rini, bundled up and laden with gifts, piled through the door. We made a start on the dinner under strict instructions.

Mom was the part owner and chef of a small bistro located in town, but she'd recently taken a step back, hiring another chef so she could indulge in her true passion – baking.

She was making five pies for Christmas, which was an all-time record, and I raised an eyebrow at Dad when she told me he'd requested four of them– apple, pecan, pumpkin and cherry- he tried to look innocent, sucking his stomach in at the same time.

She was busy rolling out pastry, so Ro and I had the task of peeling potatoes and carrots and stuffing the turkey.

"Not it!" I shouted before Ro could beat me to it.

"Aww, I don't wanna stick my hand up its butt." She cringed, picking up a handful of the cranberry and pistachio pork mix and gingerly pressing it in.

"You have to get all up in there, Ro. Right now, you're just teasing the poor bird."

She narrowed her eyes at me and then flashed her eyes to my Mom who was rolling out her third batch of pastry on the kitchen table, Rini chopping apples by her side. "I see Cullen has been rubbing off on you."

_That little witch._

Renee knew a man's name when she heard one, and her attention snapped to Rosalie. "Who's Cullen?"

"He's a sexy soldier that Bella has got chasing her all over town."

"A soldier?" Mom asked, winking at me. I continued to peel the potatoes, looking down into the pan and trying but failing to stop the goofy smile from spreading.

"See. Look I told you, Renee."

"Told her what?" I asked suspiciously.

"That you LURVE him. You want to KISS him. You want to –"

"Seriously, are you five?"

"What? It's true isn't it?"

"No. It's not true. I like him, but that's all."

"So he's like a holiday romance?" Rini asked, and I noticed my mom was watching me closely.

"Yep. That's all. I've got to come home right? So … " I trailed off unsure what to say next.

Mom saved me by shouting for Dad to put some Christmas music on, but not before she looked at me with a smile that didn't hide the concern in her eyes.

"Urgh, I think that turkey's butt is stuffed enough," Ro said, breaking the tension.

.

.

Later that evening, as we all lounged around fighting off our food comas, the blinking lights of the Christmas tree lit up the darkened room while we watched _Miracle on 34th Street_. I sat on the couch and wondered what Cullen would be doing.

His parents were back at home for Christmas, and he'd asked whether I'd like to meet them when I got back to England. Being home with my parents, the homely scent of the pine trees mingled with Mom's apple pie and the crackling of the log fire in the hearth, I couldn't imagine ever not being near them.

Meeting Cullen's parents was another step along the path towards becoming more attached to him. I could say it was just a fling until I was blue in the face, but deep down I knew differently, and the way my Mom kept looking at me with a fretful gaze, told me that she knew it too.

.

.

As I went to bed that night with Ro snuggled next me, a light snore catching in her throat, my phone lit up with a message from him. A response to my picture.

**Now that is one nice duck. But a duck can never compare to the stunning beauty of a swan**.

I groaned at his flirting. It was followed shortly by another text, and my heart somersaulted.

**Did you know that Swans mate for life? I hope so. Good night Bella.**

My breath caught in my throat, and I feared I was drowning as I realized there was no way I could stop myself from falling for him. It was too hard.

**~0~0~0~0~0~0~**

* * *

**AN: **Thanks for reading and all your reviews I read and adore every single one.

Some fic recs this week:

**Salacious** by **cutestkidsmom** - a intriguing calling card and a honey voiced Edward with words like silk - what other reason do you need?

**Life by Choice** by **Alice Vampire** - a interactive fic where the reader can choose what happens next

**The Slowest Burn** by **Typokween** - one of my all times favs updated this week

Come over to FB and join the **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	13. Lateral Lunges

**AN:** A little early update as I'm not around tomorrow. Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and recs. Every one one makes my day.

Massive thanks to my to pre-reader **GossipLips** who spoils me rotten with her support.

This chp was beta'd by **BelleDean** and **Jcat5507** from PTB. Thank you. **Jcat5507** shows me the light and puts up with my babbling- she deserves a medal.

*****Waves ***** at all my FB peeps. You all rock my world on a daily basis.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight, Rainbow or Jackson Five but Muddy Smugward is mine * eyes certain ppl - they know who they are *

Any lyrics used in the chapter belong to Rainbow or Jackson Five. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**~o~o~o~ LATERAL LUNGES ~o~o~o~**

I was rudely awoken in the middle of the night by thundering footsteps and the unappealing noises of Ro being sick. I chased after her to perform the obligatory best friend duties—holding her hair back from her face while she threw up everything she had eaten earlier that day.

Her face was ashen as she lay on the tiled bathroom floor, groaning. "I'm dying."

"No, you're not. Did you wash your hands after you touched the turkey?"

"Yes. I'm not an idiot."

I brushed her hair back from her face, feeling her forehead. "You feel a little clammy but not hot. Do you think you can get back to bed?"

She nodded weakly, and I bundled her back to my bedroom, wrapping her up under the quilt, but the telltale saliva pooling in my own mouth had me gripping onto the toilet seat only minutes later.

We spent the next few hours alternating between the bed and the bathroom. Mom woke to see what all the noise was, but she appeared to be fine and Dad was still fast asleep. It was just us. Fabulous.

"Oh my God." I groaned.

"Urgh." Ro sat up, leaning on the bathtub as I faced her, my back up against the wall.

"Are you _sure_ you washed your hands?"

"I'm sure. Can you stop talking about the …" She broke off as a wave of nausea had her hugging the toilet again.

I had to put my head between my legs to stop the rolling in my own stomach.

"This toilet is very nice," she muttered deliriously, her face resting on the seat.

"This is the worst end to Christmas, ever." I moaned. "Are. You. _Sure_ you washed your hands?"

"You've asked me that fifty times now, and the answer is still yes. And anyway, that doesn't explain why you're ill." Ro spoke with her eyes tightly shut.

"If you touched something and then I put it in my mouth, I could get sick."

She snorted lightly. "Then you shouldn't put dirty things in your mouth."

"Oh, I am L-O-L-ing all over the place over here," I deadpanned. My sense of humor had gone down the toilet with the rest of my insides.

"Talking of dirty things, tell me about Cullen's?" She quirked a brow, her eyes still closed.

"Cullen's what?"

"His dirty thing that you put in your mouth."

I threw a bath sponge at her head. "Shut up. We are not talking about Cullen."

"Why not? I'll tell you about Emmett"

I held up my hand to her. "Please, do not do that."

"Oh, okay then, well it's very, very lo—"

"I will be sick on your head," I warned her.

She tisked and slowly sat upright. "Spoilsport."

.

.

A couple of hours later, and feeling a little more stable, I got up to get a glass of water from the kitchen. My mouth tasted like something had curled up and died in it. The room was lit only by the clock on the microwave, flashing blue. It was 4:56 AM and 1.56 PM in England.

Creeping back into my room, Ro was sound asleep. I picked up my phone and headed back down, snuggling up on the couch under the throw. Too wide-awake to consider sleeping, I messaged Cullen instead.

**Hey you.** My fingers typed the message before my brain could list the reasons why it wasn't a good idea.

My ringtone pierced the silence, and I scrambled to answer it before the whole house woke up, my heart hammering in my chest.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Hey. It's me." Cullen's deep voice sent a thrill of excitement through me. "Are you okay?"

"What?"

"Are you okay? Why are you awake? Isn't it five o'clock in the morning where you are?"

"Yeah, but Ro and I have been sick all night, and I couldn't sleep," I explained.

"Oh no, what from?"

"I have no idea, but I'm blaming Ro." I tried to avoid my mind going back to potential causes.

"Where are you now? You should go back to sleep." His voice was laced with concern.

"I'm feeling a little better. I'm just downstairs. What are you doing?"

I heard a clattering in the background and muffled talking as he covered the earpiece.

"Sorry about that. I'm just making a turkey and stuffing sandwich," he said before moving his mouth away from the phone again. "Mum, I will. Shhh a second." He chuckled. "Sorry, my Mum's nagging at me. She wants you to come over for dinner when you get back."

Once I'd managed to control the urge to throw up at the mention of turkey and take in his question, I sobered up realizing the implications. He had no qualms about moving our relationship forward. Meeting his parents was a major step, and I didn't think he was even considering the repercussions. I felt conflicted, and he sensed it from my pause.

He added, "No problem if you don't want to."

"No, it's not that. I'd love to. I'm just not sure when I'll have the time with all the work and stuff." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I knew it was wrong, but the thought of not having him around was worse.

What the fuck was I doing? I was such a masochist. It was only going to get harder, and I couldn't seem to stop myself. Why was he so damn calm about this whole situation? Did he not feel it the same?

"Ah, okay. Well, whatever," he said casually, the warmth in his tone was replaced with indifference, and a wave of panic washed over me.

"I … I just." I didn't know what to say.

"Hang on a minute," he asked and I could hear he was moving and the click of a door before he spoke again. "You're worrying, aren't you?"

"You should go and finish your lunch. Isn't this costing you a fortune? Don't worry about me." I suddenly regretted texting him. The mindsets of someone in the middle of the night and someone mid lunch were two very different things.

"Bella, if you're not too tired and are feeling up to it, I think we should talk about this." He sighed into the phone.

I resigned myself to the fact he was right and the cold edge of dread settled in my stomach.

"I'm feeling better." I lied, I actually felt worse, but the feeling of sickness was for a different reason now. I let out a nervous laugh. "We should probably talk about this when we we're actually together."

"Yeah, but when I'm with you it doesn't seem to matter."

"What doesn't?" I was a bit confused.

"Look, all I know is that I want to spend time with you."

His words echoed in my mind and it just felt so right. My stomach flip-flopped but then the inevitable reminder of our situation was like a slap in the face. It brought tears of frustration to my eyes.

"I want that too more than you know, but when I leave it's only going to be harder," I explained.

"Can't we just enjoy the time we _do_ have together? Then when it comes to it, we'll worry about it then?"

It would have been better if he'd ended up with Ro—they were on the same wavelength.

"I'm trying, but … I don't know."

"Trust me, okay? We've hardly spent any time together really. You might decide you can't stand me by the time you've got to go home." I could hear the smile on his face.

I laughed quietly. "You _can_ be quite annoying."

"See? And if you do still like me … people do have long distance relationships. We'll work something out."

"Have you been speaking to Ro?"

"No. Why?"

"No reason." I chuckled. "So we're just going to spend some time together then?"

"Bella, I can't get enough of you as it is, and you need to make these two weeks you've been away up to me."

"Oh yeah? And how I do that?"

"I'm sure I can think of something." He laughed.

"I just rolled my eyes."

"See? Now we're back to normal. No more serious conversations for a while."

"That sounds good. I'd better check on Ro and try and get some more sleep."

"Okay, beautiful. I hope you feel better soon, and one more thing."

"What?"

"Will you believe me when I say that I've missed you since you've been gone?" The line went quiet for a moment. "Honestly, since you been gone, I've been out of my head. I can't take it."

It took me a moment and a snort, but I finished off the chorus for him,

"_Could I be wrong?_

_But since you been gone, _

_You cast the spell, so break it. _

_Ohh, whoa, ohh._

_Since you been gone."_

His laugh boomed down the phone, and my face lit up with a smile and a blush at my tone deaf crooning.

"I wasn't sure if you'd catch it." He chucked.

"My Dad loves that song. You're going to have to try and get your lines from somewhere less obvious," I explained.

I was aware that I was sitting there with a ridiculous grin on my face. He never failed to make me smile.

"I want you back," he paused and I could just imagine the curve in his smile.

"I'll be back soon, Tito, or are you Jermaine?" I quipped, laughing at him.

"You're good at this," he replied.

"I am."

"Bella, there is nothing I want more than to see you, I like you, a lot, and I'm not planning on giving up on that just because you're thousands of miles away."

My mind flashed through various song lyrics but came up blank. They were his own words.

I melted right where I sat on the couch, and my heart fluttered its way across the Atlantic Ocean and settled with the man on the other side of the telephone.

.

.

I was awoken by the clink of metal against china and a painful, cricked neck. I'd fallen back to sleep on the couch, and Dad was sitting across from me, eating.

"What time is it?" I groaned.

"It's six thirty. What are you doing down here?" he asked with his mouth full.

"I couldn't get back to sleep. I …" I wasn't quite sure how to explain why I was still on the couch. I was on the phone with a man. A man in England. A man I'm falling in … Nope, I wasn't going to go there.

I deflected it back to him, "What are you doing up so early? And what are you eating?"

"Just some cherry pie."

"For breakfast?"

"No, it's seconds from last night."

"Right, Dad." I rolled my eyes at him, and my stomach churned slightly from the fruity smell of it.

"So, are you going to tell me about Edward?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

If I'd had pie in my mouth, I would have spat it out all over the place. "What? How?"

He tapped his nose. "I have my ways?"

"Are these legal ways?"

"Of course."

"I don't believe you." I shook my head at him smiling.

"So tell me then. What's he like?"

"Dad." I groaned. "He's … nice."

"Nice." He drew out the word

"Why do I feel like I'm being interrogated?"

He held up his hands. "Just showing an interest!"

"He's really nice. I … I like him, but it's hard."

"Because you'll have to leave?"

"Yeah."

He patted my leg. "These things have a way of working themselves out, Bella. Don't get too hung up on it. Now, I know your Mom would want me to tell you to be careful and to protect your heart, so, there, I'm telling you. But this is from a man who spotted his future wife walking down the street of a town a long way from home and then bumped into her a month later when she turned up at his school. These things have a way of working out."

I never would have thought my gruff ol' dad would be offering relationship advice, but it was just what I needed. I was more anxious than ever to get back to see Cullen.

.

.

I recovered fairly quickly, but Ro still wasn't right for the rest of the run up to New Year, hardly eating anything, claiming she would be sick. She was living on crackers. She'd had the raw end of the deal, so the turkey butt got the blame.

We'd planned to head out to a house party at Mike Newton's, an old friend from school, but ended up staying in and feeling sorry for ourselves. Mom and Dad had gone over to their friends' to welcome in the New Year.

We had drunken texts from Cullen, McCarty, and Alice who were all at the same party. It was already midnight where they were, and they'd partied into the New Year together. Cullen's gave me butterflies every time I read it. Which was a lot.

**It would be a happier New Year if you were with me. You owe me a kiss.**

"Bella, can you pass me the popcorn?" Ro reached out, flapping her arm pathetically inches from the bowl.

"Nope. No popcorn for sick people." I shoved a handful into my mouth.

"I read popcorn is good for energy," she whined. She was splayed out across the couch, her head in my lap as we watched the countdown on the television.

"No, you did not read that, Rosalie Hale."

"I did, actually." She harrumphed. "What do you think the guys are doing now?"

"Sleeping, I hope." I didn't want to let my mind wander to the potential scenarios. I wasn't blind to the attention that followed Cullen around, but if I really thought about it, a part of me trusted him. Under all the swagger and smooth, he was … Edward.

"I wish we were with them." She sighed.

"What's wrong with my company?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just you're really boring, and Emmett is loads of fun, and he's much more comfy than you. You don't make a very good pillow."

"Well, I do apologize."

"It's okay. I'll make do." She made a show of getting comfy, making me laugh.

I braided her hair as we watched the television, thinking that she was right. I wished we were with them too, and as the fireworks went off at midnight, I wondered whether I would ever get the chance to ring in a New Year with him.

.

.

Standing in the departure lounge, ready fly back to England, I hugged my parents tightly. The sadness of saying goodbye was lightened by my excitement to see a certain messy-haired man.

Waving goodbye to our parents as they turned the corner from the check in area, Ro whined, "Urgh, I can't carry my bag. I don't feel well."

"Ro, you don't have to carry it. It has wheels." I was sorting through my purse, looking for our passports.

"I know, but my arms feel weak." She pouted.

"Are you serious? Can you just be not ill until we can get rid of our stuff? Then you've got ten hours to sleep and flop all over the place." I handed our tickets in at the desk and managed to bundle Ro through without incident.

She did sleep for almost all of the flight back, only perking up at the potential she would be seeing Emmett soon.

I was dead on my feet as we queued at passport control, not helped by Ro alternating between using me as a leaning post and a pillow. I was ready to throttle her by the time we got out into arrivals.

She disappeared off ahead, and I tried to wheel two suitcases at the same time, emitting a growl when Ro's kept flipping on its side, causing me to have to stop and sort it out. I gave up and dug around in my purse to look for some money for the cab when I heard Ro screech. I looked up to see her jumping into the arms of a huge man who I sincerely hoped was Emmett. His bear like arms made her look tiny as they kissed.

I couldn't help my hopes soar as I looked around, but they were lost in each other, and there was no one else with them. My heart dropped, but at the same moment, a pair of warms arms surrounded me from behind and a chin rested on my shoulder. The smell of his cologne unmistakable as he kissed my neck, and his voice rumbled into my ear. "Hello, beautiful."

* * *

**AN**: Thank you for reading. I know these last two chps have been missing Muddy Smugward but I hope Chapter 14 will make up for it ;)

ICYMI I started a drabble fic – **Adagio** – would love to hear your thoughts on that too. Reviews make my day.

Here are some fics recs for you …

**Yosemite Decimal** by **MagTwi78** - Outdoorsy Bella and the hot as hell Bulldozer …. Fab story.

**Under these Lights** by **jaxington** – a mash up of Twilight and Friday Night Lights. Two of my favourite things!

Come over to FB and join the **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiition **group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	14. Bridge N' Curl

**AN**: This chapter has been a real piece of work. I ended up doing a major last minute rewrite and couldn't have done it without the incredible help from my ever-increasing Muddy Smugward Team.

It's turned into a pretty big chapter (for me a least) but I couldn't find anywhere to cut it without potentially causing a riot.

So here is an extra-long Christmas treat for you all. Enjoy x

Huge thanks to my girls **GossipLips, Jcat5507, Eternally Edward's Girl, Cutestkidsmom** and **Chocaholic123** who all helped me through this debacle. I love you like kisses in the rain.

Thanks to PTB's **Dean Winchester – my heart** and **Jcat5507** who beta'd this chp.

Especially, **Jcat5507** who rechecked it at least 41,235,246 times for me. I have messed and added since so all mistakes are mine.

Smooches to **Errontrisha** for the title. I'm running out of ideas.

**Disclaimer**: SM owns Twilight but Muddy Smugward owns me.

* * *

**~0~0~0~ Bridge N' Curl ~0~0~0~**

* * *

I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I heard his deep voice and felt the brush of his stubble against my neck.

I abandoned the bags and spun around to look at him. He was even more jaw-droppingly handsome than I remembered. His crooked smile was out in full force as he pulled my body against his.

"Hey," he said, his voice shot like lightning straight through me.

"Hello, handsome." My body melted into his, and I could feel butterflies building at the same rate as my pulse increased.

He answered me with a kiss. It was helpful that he was partly holding me up, or I would have collapsed.

"Fancy seeing you here?" I quirked an eyebrow at him

"Oh, I was just passing through, and I spotted a sexy lady struggling with her bag, and, the gentleman that I am, I had to come to your rescue."

"I hate those stupid bags," I grumbled, looking around for them. Panicking slightly, when I realized they could have been tampered with by some unscrupulous characters, and I wouldn't have even noticed. I would never have passed the security questions.

"You've not changed a bit." He laughed, playing with the edge of my shirt, his warm fingers running back and forth under it across my bare skin.

"I've only been gone for two weeks, and anyway, how did you know what time we'd land?"

"We googled it." He shrugged and released me, grabbing onto the two suitcases and hefting them up as if they weighed nothing.

"But we could have been on any of the flights coming in today.' I wanted his arms back around me.

"I got lucky." He winked at me. I followed him outside, focusing solely on his impeccable ass to lead the way.

Finding Ro and Emmett, who were sucking face and causing quite a scene, we managed to pry them apart and headed to our ride home—better known as the van.

Cullen threw the suitcases in the back as Ro peered in the open door. "Erm, where are we supposed to sit?"

"You can sit on my knee, baby." Emmett grabbed her and they began another round of tongue wars.

I couldn't help but groan at them—they were shameless. Cullen drove, and I squeezed in next to him. Emmett's hulking brawn squashed me even further, and then with Ro added on too, we were like a tin of sardines. Cullen could barely move.

"This isn't going to work. Em, get in the back with Ro," he ordered.

"Is that a good idea? Is it safe?" I examined the van, which was filled with all sorts of boot camp related crap.

"They'll be okay."

"Oh yeah, we'll be okay," Emmett parroted, giving Ro a mischievous grin.

"What happened to you feeling ill?" I elbowed her.

Her eyes never left Emmett's as she responded, "I found a cure."

I snorted, budging them out with my hips. "Get out then."

They climbed into the back, and I was determined to ignore the giggling and other cringe-worthy noises from behind my seat, but it was proving difficult. I looked over at Cullen who gave me an apologetic look.

"I think we need some music on." I flicked the radio on and scooted over to the other side, but I didn't get far. He grabbed onto my leg and tugged me back.

"Where do you think you're going? I want you over here."

I shuffled back to him, and as he started up the van, he pressed a kiss to my cheek, whispering, "I missed you."

I turned to meet his lips, a sigh falling from my mouth as his tongue met mine, my fingers running along his stubbled jaw and into his hair as I pulled myself closer to him, savoring his taste.

"Ahem," Ro piped up from the back. "Are we staying here all day, or can we get this show on the road?"

I whipped my head around and shot her a look of disgust. "Now you decide to come up for air?"

She smirked at me. "Ditto."

Cullen laughed a deep, rumbling laugh, to which Emmett matched, as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed home.

* * *

Cullen and Emmett helped lug our things upstairs.

"How do you fancy going out for a few drinks tonight? To celebrate your homecoming?" Emmett asked.

I was mid-yawn as he spoke, so I tried to hold it back, biting my lip creating what I'd imagine would be a very unattractive grimace. Cullen chuckled as he watched me from his position, leaning against the wall. The man looked so sexy and casual no matter what pose he was in, and I found myself watching him more than was probably considered normal.

"Sounds good." I felt like I could fall asleep standing up, but I didn't want to be the party pooper.

"Okay, well you girls unpack and get all sexy, and we'll pick you up at seven?" Emmett smirked as Ro giggled and flew into his arms again.

"I'll get sexy for you, my soldier boy," she purred.

"For crying out loud, you two, give it a rest. We're standing right here, you know!" I gestured between us.

Ro huffed and dragged Emmett outside just as Cullen grabbed my hand and tugging me toward my bed, where he sat down. His face was level with mine, and he grabbed my bottom, pulling me between his legs.

"Are you okay with tonight? You look kinda tired?" he asked.

I was absolutely exhausted, but the adrenaline that coursed through my veins since seeing him at the airport kept me going. I wasn't going to waste the opportunity to spend time with him because of a paltry thing like sleep.

"I'll be fine."

"We could just stay in? You and me?"

I'd never wanted anything more, but it was probably a good idea to get out and get through the jet lag.

I rested my hands on the back of his neck, playing with his short hair as he tipped his face up to mine. "Honestly, I'll be fine. I need to stay up, but a night in together sounds perfect. Can we do that another night?"

"Oh, we're going to be doing that a lot. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

His lips pulled into my favorite lopsided grin as he cupped my face and pulled it to his, kissing my lips gently. I couldn't hold myself back; I was too greedy. I twisted my fingers into his hair and crushed my lips to his. He hummed into my mouth as his tongue dipped in and flicked against mine and, like a flash, he picked me up and pulled me onto his lap.

I giggled as his hand slipped its way up the back of my shirt and hooked under my bra, pressing me harder to his chest. I couldn't breathe from the intensity of the kiss, but I really couldn't find the will to care. If I died, at least it would be from something as incredible as Edward Cullen's kisses.

I tightened my legs around him, grinding into his lap, and he emitted a low growl before finally breaking away.

I pouted at him, taking in his red and moist lips, swollen from our kiss; I wanted to bite them.

Chuckling, he stood up, causing my legs to drop down and placed me on the floor.

"That was the kiss I owed you for Christmas."

"Thank you. It was worth the wait." I blushed slightly under his lustful gaze.

"Save your thanks until later. I still owe you one for New Year's Eve." His eyes twinkled mischievously as he placed a kiss on my neck, his warm breath causing a shiver to skim down to my toes.

"You can't tease me like that." I crossed my arms, and I almost stamped my foot.

He twisted a piece of my hair around his finger. "I think you know me better than that."

"I'm going to have to shower now." I fanned my face, smirking as I watched him process my true meaning, his eyes immediately darkening and his lips parting slightly.

"You are not doing anything like that." His voice had a rough edge to it as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip, his eyes fixed on mine.

"I will do what whatever I like." I tilted my chin up and raised a brow.

Another growl rumbled from his chest and he stepped forward, pinning me up against the closet, caging me with his arms. I tried to keep my defiance clear on my face but my resolve was crumbling fast.

"Bella." His voice was husky but smooth and the throbbing between my thighs only intensified with every word he spoke. If this is how he reacted, I was all for provoking him.

"Yes?" I stubbornly met his achingly stunning sea greens.

"The only person that is going to touch you is me, and the only time you are going to touch yourself until then is if I'm watching."

Oh, motherfucking fuck.

* * *

We'd managed to grab a couple of hours sleep after they left and before we had to start getting ready for the night. I stood in my closet agonizing over what to wear, when there was a knock at the door.

"Hold on a second," I muttered, grabbing the outfit I'd originally picked out: a nautical, striped tunic dress with a cowl neck and shoved it over my head. I pulled on my black knee-high boots over my sockless feet—sockless as I couldn't find any socks—and pulled my hair into a ponytail. A last attempt at concealing the bruises under my eyes from lack of sleep, and I was ready to go.

Ro channeled her inner cowgirl and wore a skintight, checkered shirt with her dark jeans and tall brown boots. All she was missing was the Stetson hat, but I was remaining tight lipped after the numerous "Yeehaws," that I'd included in every sentence possible, had earned me a whip from her belt. I was still grumbling like a grumpy bear over the red welt on my arm.

It had been one of those uh-oh moments when someone takes it a little too far, but I had accidentally—on purpose—thrown a TV remote at her once that left Rosalie with a broken nose and a massive bruise, so I'd let her off just this once.

Grabbing my coat, I pulled open the door to be nearly knocked over by a cloud of cologne.

"Jeez, guys, what did you do? Bathe in it?" I asked.

Cullen held his hands up. "Don't look at me."

"I spilled it on my jeans," Emmett admitted.

"Aww, Emmy Bear, you smell gorgeous." Ro stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

Seriously, my eyes were burning, and I could taste it on my tongue. Cullen laughed at my pained expression as I headed over to him and kissed him on the lips. "At least I can breathe over here. Wow, that's potent. "

He pulled me into a hug, and I buried my face into his chest, breathing in his mouthwatering scent.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yep. Lead the way."

We headed out to the awaiting taxi that ended up driving us to a restaurant with red and black awnings outside. Through the open doors into the foyer, a glass wall was visible, water cascading down it into a small pond.

"Were going here?" I asked Cullen when he came around and opened the cab door for me.

"Yep, it's Teppanyaki," he explained.

"What?"

"It's Japanese. I think you'll like it."

"Hmm, okay, I trust you." I watched him as he headed into the restaurant and talked to the hostess who practically drooled on him as he leaned over to show her the reservation.

Dressed in a black, button down shirt with two buttons undone showing a smattering of hairs on his chest and black jeans with a silver belt buckle. I couldn't blame her, but I did give her a dirty look when I walked past.

Rounding the corner, we were met with the best surprise. Ali leaped to her feet and threw herself into my arms, hugging me tightly. I felt a damp spot on my chest and pulled out of the hug, keeping her at arm's length so I could study her.

"Ali, why are you crying?" I looked over her shoulder at Whitlock who shook his head, smiling.

"I m-m-issed you," she said as she sobbed.

"Aww, Ali." I pulled her back into a bear hug and Ro joined in. I noticed Whitlock waving a cocktail glass at me. That explained it.

The restaurant offered teppanyaki-styled entertainment. The chefs were cooking in front of us as we all sat around the table, flames danced up from the grill in the middle, flashes of heat warming our faces.

Each couple paired off and sat next to each other, enjoying the antics of the chefs.

After a couple rounds of cocktails and Ro trying—but failing—to describe our sickness without lowering the tone of the evening, we'd all caught up. I'd cringed into Cullen's shoulder as it shook with laughter at her awful story.

The alcohol, added to the fact I'd hardly slept for two days, led me to be in a state very close to delirium, but I couldn't have been happier. To be surrounded by my friends with the veritable presence of Cullen by my side; it was perfect.

I was mesmerized by the skills of the chefs in front of me and Cullen's hand that had been stroking the inside of my knee for the most of the night.

Once we'd eaten our delicious meal, the lights dimmed and the chefs began their show, juggling food and sharp kitchen utensils. I'd sat back in my chair, wary of being hit with flying food or worse, knives. Cullen laughed, sliding his hand from my knee to around my back.

An egg whizzed past us, and Ro yelped and jumped back onto Emmett's knee. The chef cracked the egg with a knife mid-flight and fried it on the griddle. I was impressed.

In the next minute he began flicking bits of potato for people to catch in their mouths, immediately zoning in on Cullen, who was a natural and caught every piece with ease, a smug smile crossing his face.

The chef flicked some at me but instead of gracefully catching it in my mouth, it hit me on the chin and dropped down my top before I'd even reacted, causing hilarity around the whole restaurant. Ali, recovered from her earlier emotional outburst, laughed so hard she fell off her stool.

"Oh my God, Bella, please tell me someone got that on video." Ro guffawed. "Is there a security camera somewhere? Please, God, let there be."

"Shut up." I wiped my chin with the napkin and tried to root around my top for the elusive bit of food, giving Cullen, who was laughing so much he'd cradled his head in his hands, the evil eyes.

"Stop laughing." I kicked his stool with my foot.

"I'm sorry." He drew in a long breath before breaking out into laughter again. "That was priceless."

I was rummaging, but I couldn't find the potato.

"Do you need some help?" He smirked, his shoulders still shaking with laughter.

"Not from you." I huffed.

"Come here. Let me see." He tugged at the neckline of my dress.

"Get off." I pouted but he ignored me and pulled the neck out slightly peering down. His grin was immediately replaced with a serious look. I quickly slapped his hand away and held the dress to my chest.

"Bella, what are you wearing?" he asked.

"What?"

"Is that a see-through red bra?" he murmured.

I frowned and checked. Oh yeah.

I nodded.

He rubbed his hands over his face. "You're going to kill me."

"You're lucky I managed to dress myself at all." I might have slurred my words slightly, and he looked at me with an odd expression.

"I think I should take you home. Your hand eye co-ordination has gone to pot and soon you're going to need those tooth picks to keep your eyes open." He squeezed my knee gently.

"No, I'm fine honestly. I'm as fresh as a daisy and it's only eight thirty." I grabbed my drink, trying to get the straw in my mouth. It was being difficult.

He pressed a kiss to my temple, and laughed softly, "Will you let me take you home and look after you. Please."

Well when he said it like that—I couldn't refuse. I leaned into him. "Okay. I am a bit tired."

He placed some notes from his wallet onto the table, "Guys, I'm going to take Bella home. She's on the verge of sleepwalking."

Ali replied, "See you soon. Go and get some _sleep." _She winked at me suggestively.

I considered that we were about to go home together but there was nothing I wanted more than to just fall asleep in his arms. I wasn't even sure the potential of getting naked with him could keep me awake.

"I'll see you later, B. We won't be long." Ro, who'd had about ten hours more sleep than me was looking surprisingly alert.

* * *

In the taxi on the way back to his place, I curled into his side, resting my head in the crook of his neck. He stroked his fingers up and down my arm in a hypnotic pattern, and, with the rise and fall of his chest, it wasn't surprising that I dozed off. He gently nudged me awake when we got to his place and led me upstairs by my hand.

"Would you like me to run you a bath?" He tipped my chin up with his finger and brushed his thumb along my lips, a puff of air escaped from my mouth as my eyes closed in bliss, and I nodded. I could get used to this.

Leading me to his room, he pulled a huge fluffy towel out and handed it to me. "Do you want something to sleep in?"

"A t-shirt or something." I shrugged.

He rooted around and pulled out a black t-shirt—the same black t-shirt I'd worn at the beach. I took it from him and brushed my fingers over the insignia. "I didn't know we'd brought this back?"

He looked a little sheepish and scratched the back of his head, "We didn't … I got it later on."

"Oh." I smiled at the thought that he'd made the effort to go and get it, and I wondered why. His next words answered my internal question for me.

"It reminds me of you … so—"

I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his, wrapping my arms around his waist. "That makes me feel good," I whispered onto his soft lips.

"I'd better go and check the bath. I don't want a flood on our hands." He placed a kiss on my nose before he left the room, and I stood for a few seconds with a huge smile on my face.

Quickly undressing, I found a hair tie and piled my hair in a messy bun and wrapped the soft towel around my body, the fresh smell of laundry detergent reminded me of his own familiar smell.

Finding the bathroom, I was absolutely blown away. A huge bath was full with bubbles, the scent of vanilla in the air. A few candles flickered on the windowsill, lighting up the room with a warm glow.

The boy had done good.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

"It's more than okay, it's incredible. Thank you."

"It's important to look after your girl." He shrugged.

His girl. I bit my lip to stop the giddiness I felt, at those two words, show on my face.

"I'll leave you to it, but just call me if you need anything," he said.

Once he'd closed the door, I dropped the towel to the floor and dipped my toe into the water. It was hot but not unbearable, and I slowly sank into the bubbles. I immediately called out to him.

"Are you okay?" He popped his head around the door.

"Come here." I cocked my head slightly, and he came to the edge of the bath crouching down onto his knees, his arms resting along the side.

"You want to join me?" I picked up some bubbles and swiped them onto his nose.

"I'd love nothing more to get in with you, but I think you need some sleep, and if I get in, I'll want to do more and won't be able to stop." He dipped his fingers into the water and danced them across my collarbone. Wanting him to move lower, I leaned my head back and arched my back slightly, letting my eyes drop.

"Bella, if you keep doing that I will jump in there and there will be a tidal wave." He laughed softly.

I opened one eye, "That was my plan."

"Just relax, will you? We'll have plenty of time once you're rested. Plus, what if you fell asleep half way? It would be bad for my ego."

"I would never fall asleep!" I splashed him with some water, and he wiped his face with his shirtsleeve.

He quirked a brow at me, his lips curving into a smile. "You fell asleep after thirty seconds in the taxi, so I wouldn't bet on it."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "You're mean."

"Yes, I am." He cradled my cheek in his palm and kissed me, running his tongue so slowly across my bottom lip, and gently deepened his kiss, his tongue dancing softly against mine. Fire burned through my body straight to every single erogenous point. My knee's buckled slightly, and I slipped, almost going underwater.

"See?" His crooked smile proving his point.

I opened my mouth to respond, but I couldn't think straight.

Deciding I'd better get out or risk drowning, I found him sitting on his bed. I'd pulled his t-shirt on, and, now standing before him, I felt slightly self-conscious and tugged at the hem, aware I had no underwear on underneath.

"You feel better?" His eyes flickered over my attire, his gaze lingering on my bare legs.

"Mmm, if it's possible, I feel more sleepy." I walked over to him and ran my fingers though his hair.

"Turn round and sit here." He patted the bed between his legs.

I sat back, and he pulled my hips back toward him, I felt his hot breath on my neck as he ran his nose from the nape up to my ear.

"You smell delicious," he added as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Why do you and Emmett have bubble bath and candles anyway?" His hands moved to my neck, and he gently kneaded my shoulders. I hung my head forward, reveling in the feeling.

He chuckled, and I felt the rumble through my back. "Em likes to pamper himself from time to time."

"I can't even imagine him fitting in that bath."

"It's not a pretty sight." He placed a kiss on my neck, and a shiver skipped down my spine.

"Are you cold?" His warm fingers slipped under the collar of the t-shirt and continued their slow circles, massaging.

"No, I'm fine. You're good at this."

"Not really, I'm just winging it." His thumb pressed into a particularity tight muscle, and a moan spilled from my lips.

"Bella, "he whispered, his handed stilling.

I swallowed, trying to form words rather than the moans that were at the tip of my tongue. "Yes?" It came out breathily.

"I think you should try and sleep." His voice had garnered a rough, scratchy edge.

I tipped my head back and onto his shoulder and twisted my face to meet his lips. The hand on my waist automatically began to run slowly up my stomach and over my ribs, inching slowly toward the curve of my breasts. I cupped his face with my hand, tipping my head to fit against his perfectly to deepen the kiss. He let out a throaty moan when I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth. The sound increasing my need tenfold.

Moments away from his finger brushing my breasts that were crying out for his attention, his hand and lips stilled, and he laughed quietly.

"Sleep, Bella."

I growled and stood up, walking to his bed and wrenching the covers back, huffing.

My stomping was cut short when he unbuttoned his shirt and stepped out of his jeans. My mouth hung open at the sight of him in his black boxers.

"You're coming to bed too? It's so early." I was desperate for him to say yes.

"Yes. Is that okay?"

I spluttered my words out, "Oh my god, yes." Throwing the covers back on his side, he got in next to me and pulled me into his arms. I fit in his nook perfectly, sighing loudly in contentment. If it were possible for a woman to purr, I would have.

Snuggling into his chest, he turned the light off and the room was lit only by the orange streetlights that trickled through cracks in the blinds.

"Are you even tired?" I tried to suppress my yawn, pressing my face into the soft skin on his neck.

"A little, but I've wanted to fall asleep with you in my arms for a while now, so I'm not going to miss out on the opportunity." He began tracing slow circles on my side, pressing a kiss into my hair, and I could feel my eyelids drooping as I was lulled to sleep by the reassuring beating of his heart.

* * *

I awoke later still cradled in his arms, my leg flung over his. I watched his face, barely visible in the now dark room, but my eyes took in the slight kink in his nose, wondering whether it had always been like that, and his plump lips—lips that needed to be kissed. His lashes brushed against his cheeks as his eyes flickered minutely, and I wondered what he was dreaming about. I had to resist the urge to trace my fingers over his eyelids.

Needing a drink, I slowly wriggled out of his embrace, trying not to wake him. I tiptoed out of the room and into the kitchen, downing a glass of ice-cold water. It was two o' clock in the morning according to the kitchen clock. At least I'd managed to get some sleep. I felt a lot better than I had at the restaurant.

I hadn't heard Emmett and Ro come back, if they'd come back at all. I guessed they may have gone back to our dorm for a bit of privacy. I noticed that Emmett's bedroom door was open, which supported my theory.

After freshening up as best I could, I slid back into bed, the warmth of the covers and his body compared to the cold air in the apartment was bliss.

Immediately, Cullen pulled me to him, mumbling incoherently, pressing his hand into the small of my back. I had to lift my leg over his, and my face was pressed into his neck, his scent overwhelmingly appealing.

My hands were trapped up against his hard chest. His skin was silky soft, peppered here and there with chest hairs. I found myself tracing my fingers gently over his muscles; the slow rise and fall of his chest told me he was still fast asleep.

Unable to help myself, my fingers gently danced their way down his chest, and, like I'd done before, they traced where I thought I could feel his tattoo.

Wanting to taste him I kissed his chest gently, exploring his skin. I could already feel the heat blooming between my thighs, just from a mere touch of his body. I was totally under his spell.

He began to stir slightly, and I froze not wanting to wake him, but his large hand moved to my knee and ran up the length of my leg to grip my thigh, his fingers squeezing gently as he spoke, his voice thick with sleep. "Don't stop."

My breath caught in my throat, acutely conscious that his fingers were dancing so close to my pantyless bottom. I continued my slow decent, the beat of his heart against my cheek had picked up, and as I got to the edge of his boxers, he groaned my name.

Tipping my head up to look at him, I saw his lust lidded eyes were open, staring down at me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I whispered.

His answer was to capture my lips with his and pull my hips against him, his arousal pressed against my bare skin sending waves of pleasure through my body.

I reached down and rubbed my hand against his hardness through the thin material of his boxer shorts, and he jerked his hips into my hand, his moan vibrated against my sensitive lips.

Dipping my hand under the elastic, I gripped his hard flesh, the skin soft and smooth as I slowly moved my hand up and down it. His mouth moved onto my jaw, and he pressed kisses all the way to my neck, stopping as his breaths turned into pants from the rhythm of my hand.

His one arm underneath me pulled me closer, his fingers followed the curve of my bottom, the other sliding around and gently running along the inside of my leg. I pushed into his hands, wanting his fingers inside me, desperate for his touch. He teased and slowly swirled around the edge before dipping inside, drawing a gasp.

I wanted more. I wanted him closer so I let go of him and pushed the edge of his boxers down, needy for his skin against mine. He helped me and ripped the t-shirt from my body in the process, his palms immediately cupping my breasts, feeling the weight of them in his hands, teasing my erect nipples with a brush of his thumb. Whimpers poured from my mouth, arching into his hands desperate for him to apply more pressure

He shifted my whole body up, as if I weighed nothing, to suck the sensitive peaks into his mouth. I curled my fingers through his soft hair as the sensations of his warm, wet mouth licking and tugging spilled through my body.

Grabbing my hip, he lifted my leg over his, my smooth skin brushing against his coarse hair. He pressed himself into the wetness that had pooled between my legs, sending shockwaves down to my toes.

"Bella?" he asked.

"It's okay.

Please," I whimpered as his mouth captured mine, tasting and licking, devouring, as he pushed his hardness achingly slowly into me.

Our bodies were crushed so tightly together that when he was fully inside, stretching me so the pleasure was almost too much to bear, our bodies were flush against each other. Skin against skin, so it was unclear where I began and he ended.

His lips were on mine as he slowly began to move his hips, igniting a fire that slowly built, burning and coiling and simmering as he whispered against my lips and into my ear, words that made me feel like I could never be happier.

He rolled onto his back, pulling me with him as his arms wrapped around my waist, still holding tight as he bucked his hips, deepening the sensations that were scattering across my skin and inside my body.

I pushed against his chest sitting up, panting as I stilled on his hips. His eyes roved over my body in the dim light, and his hands stroked across my stomach and up to brush, feather light, across my breasts until his eyes met mine.

"You are so beautiful." His voice was husky and full of lust.

I rocked my hips, and his eyes rolled back into his head as he moaned my name. He grasped my bottom and followed my rhythm, pulling me against him over and over as his own hips bucked beneath me.

The pressure of my orgasm was building higher and higher with every thrust, and my thighs were shaking. I moaned as he took me closer to the edge.

"Oh, Edward," I breathed as the sensations started to pulse, building to a crescendo and clenching him tightly. He pulled my body down and crushed his lips to mine.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," he muttered like a mantra as I came apart around him, tremors wracked my body and his rhythm continued until I felt him falter as he buried his face into my neck, pulsing and throbbing inside as he found his release.

Stilling, I rested my head on the pillow beside his. His hands roamed along the curve of my bottom and traced up my spine and back down again. He twisted his head to mine, our foreheads almost touching. The whisper of his hands sliding across my skin and our breathing were the only sounds.

Neither of us spoke. He looked into my eyes, his gaze never wavering as we reveled in each other's intimate touch, thinking how we were ever going to give this up.

Curled into his side, sleepy and warm, I could hear the quiet chirps signaling the beginning of the dawn chorus. We really needed to go to sleep.

"Did that count as my New Year's kiss?" I asked. My head rested on his chest and I felt the vibration of his quiet laugh through my cheek.

"I'd say that was better than a New Year's kiss wouldn't you?"

"But we didn't mention anything about the New Year. I just wanted to check if I still had that in the bank?"

"You're collecting my kisses, huh?" His warm hand rested on my hip, every so often squeezing, reminding me it was there—as if I could ever forget. The other was bent under his head, propping it up.

"It's always good to have a supply." I lazily scratched his side with my nails in a swirling motion. He hummed every so often, enjoying the sensation.

"How will we know when we've used the New Year's kiss? Does it have to be at midnight? While we're drunk? Will we have to wear party hats?" he asked.

"Yes, and we have to sing Auld Lang Syne."

"You sing that in America?"

"Yep, and you have to kiss the person next to you," I added.

"That sounds much more fun than over here. We link arms and stagger around singing, pretending to know the words."

"I know the words."

"Really?"

"Yep." I cleared my throat, sucking in a deep breath.

"_Should auld acquaintance be forgot, _

_And never brought to mind? _

My voice cracked on the last note, which he cut off abruptly when he pressed his hand against my mouth. His belly laugh shook my whole body.

I pinched his skin until he uncovered my lips. "What?"

"I will promise you a New Year's kiss for every year for the rest of my life if you promise never to sing again."

"I'm not that bad." I sat up, leaning on my elbow, narrowing my eyes at him.

"No, you're right. You're not bad, you're terrible."

I gasped and swatted at him, but he was quicker and grabbed my hand, rolling on top of me, trapping my body.

"Get off me. " I wriggled under him, but he didn't give an inch.

"Don't worry, we can't all be good at everything." He pressed a kiss to my lips. "I will kiss you every second of every minute of every day if that will shut you up."

How could I say no to that?

**~0~0~0~0~**

* * *

**AN**: What did we all think about the reunion? Good decision not to split it? Hopefully the softer less smug side of Edward is coming out to play now.

I probably won't get time to update until after Christmas, so to all my wonderful readers:

***~*o*~*o*~*o*~* Merry Christmas*~*o*~*o*~*o*~***

I hope you have a fantastic time.

**oxoxoxoxoxo** Eat drink & be merry. I'll see you on the other side. **oxoxoxoxoxo**

* * *

**Some fic rec's for you (all in my favs):**

**Baby, It's Cold Outside** by **chocaholic123** – the perfect indulgence for Christmas and one of the best B&E's ever IMO.

_A pregnant wife, a long journey and a tax summons. Sometimes Edward knows just how Joseph must have felt 2000 years ago. _

_**Barefoot in Texas** by **planetblue** – _beautifully written and addicting

_I watch her jumping, prancing, her hands empty but taking pictures. Her feet bare on the hot Texas earth. Everything in my life that was planned to a T just whirled away in a ruffled skirt_

**Pull** by **JanieDoe12** – TattBikerward and a totally OOC Esme. Need I say more?

_Bella left Edward and everything she knew in Forks ten years ago. She knew he would never leave the MC, but circumstances drew her far away to accomplish her dreams. When Bella returns under somewhat mysterious circumstances, Forks will never be the same. Think Twilight meets Sons of Anarchy_

**A Rough Start** by **ItzMegan73** – one of my top fics of all time

_Overnight irresponsible Edward goes from bachelor to father of a 5 yr old. Meanwhile responsible, prepared Bella begins her first job as Kindergarten teacher at Forks Elementary. When irresponsible meets the epitome of responsible, sparks will fly!_

My SN24 account is a little light on favourites, but I have another FFn account from before I started writing which has 100's of my favourites on it—**Kate2307**—if anyone is interested. :)


	15. Overhead Press

**AN:** You know when I said I wouldn't post until after Christmas … well you can thank the girls in my FB group for this and it's a little earlier than my usual Muddy Monday posts as tomorrow is my Birthday, so here you go. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you for all the reviews and follows this year. You are all fantastic.

Thanks and kisses to the amazing **cutestkidsmom** for prereading and **Jcat5507** & **Lyta7** from PTB for betaing (not a word but should be) this chapter so quick for me.

To all the girls in my FB group. Thank you for just being you. You all rock. ILY.

SM owns Twilight.

**~*o*~*o*~*o*~Merry Christmas ~*o*~*o*~*o*~**

* * *

**~ Overhead Press ~**

* * *

A chink of morning sunlight shining directly on my face woke me up. Cullen's warm body was splayed out like a starfish, and I'd curled up into a small ball with his arm underneath me.

Something had shifted last night—all the banter and flirtatious words had been pushed aside, replaced by a passion and intimacy I'd never expected.

I tried to doze back off, enjoying the feeling of lying next to him, but my attention-seeking stomach was embarrassingly loud, so I crept out of his room with a plan to surprise him with breakfast in bed.

I'd searched almost all of the cupboards, coming up empty handed, with the exception of the box of stale cereal and a jar of marmalade that could have been a relic from World War II. Stumbling across the treasure of filter coffee, I set the pot up; the dark, rich smell enveloped the room. I leaned my elbows on the cold granite counter and was hypnotized by the dripping brew, breathing the fumes in deeply like an addict.

There was no trace of Emmett or Ro, and selfishly, I was glad I'd get some more alone time with Cullen. After I poured two cups, I headed back to the bedroom. He'd not moved an inch, so I crawled back in, leaning against the pillows and pulling the covers over my bare legs.

I was contemplating whether to wake him when he mumbled, "Is that coffee?"

"Good morning to you too," I replied, a smile on my face. "Yes, it is. Here, I made you a cup."

"Can't function till coffee." He reached out his hand, squinting like a mole who'd just come above ground.

"Are you serious?" I handed him the mug, and he raised his head only enough to prevent the hot liquid from pouring all over the bed as he took a swig.

One green eye peeled open. "Deadly."

"What do you do when you don't have waitress service?" I cocked my head at him.

"Emmett," he croaked. The other eye had opened, and he leaned up on his elbow.

"Emmett brings you coffee in the morning?"

"Mmmm." His monosyllabic responses were supporting the fact he wasn't a morning person.

"Every morning?"

"Yup."

I couldn't help but laugh. "How the hell did you train him to do that?"

He placed his cup on the side and took mine, setting it down as well.

"Let's just say it's better for everyone if I get my caffeine fix.' He smirked, grabbing my hips and pulling me down next to him.

"Well, don't think I'm going to be waiting on you hand and foot every morning," I warned, giggling as he buried his head into my chest, his hair tickling my nose. I ran my fingers through the tangled mess, pulling it through until it was soft again. He groaned softly as I drew my fingers over and over through the short hair on the back of his head. His arms wrapped around my waist.

"Edward."

He tipped his head up, looking into my eyes.

"I mean … do you want me to call you Edward or Cullen?" His words in the beach hut were fresh in my mind.

"Yeah, call me Edward. Not Cullen."

"You don't like that?"

He shrugged slightly, his gaze dropping down to my neck. "Cullen was who I used to be."

"But not who you are now?" I kicked myself for bringing it up. The fact he wasn't meeting my eyes was a clear sign that I was veering close to uncomfortable subjects.

"It's still part of who I am, but, to you, I want to be Edward." His hand on the small of my back traced a slow circle against my skin.

"Okay, Edward." I smiled and kissed him softly.

"So, what should I call you?" He spoke the words against my lips. His warm breath scented with coffee tickled the sensitive skin.

"You can call me … Bella." I ran my fingers down and across his shoulder blades.

"Bella." He whispered the word as he pressed a kiss to my collarbone, his hands pulling my body closer to his. "That's a pretty name."

"Oh yeah?" I tipped my head back, opening my neck to his lips.

"Yeah," he murmured against my skin. "But I think I'm going to call you … _mine_."

* * *

We decided to head out for breakfast. Edward had to be at work in a few hours so we didn't have long. He'd whined when I wouldn't let him shower with me, but I needed a moment, and taking a shower together would be counterproductive.

I tilted my face into the rush of hot water. My only thoughts were of last night as I hummed and flicked open every single bottle of body wash until I found the one I recognized.

After lathering it all over my body, I quickly washed my hair, swinging my hips in time to my humming. I mouthed the words, conscious he wouldn't want his morning peace to be shattered by my usual shower warbling.

I turned off the shower, squeezing the water from my hair and pushed back the shower curtain only to scream at the blurry face staring back at me from the bathroom mirror.

"Jesus Christ!" I screeched, turning around the face him. "Are you trying to kill me?" My heart was hammering so hard, I was surprised it hadn't jumped out of my chest.

Bursting into laugher, he held out a fluffy, white towel to me. "Sorry."

I snatched it away from him, muttering, "Like some freaky horror movie. Jesus." I wrapped it around my body, narrowing my eyes at him. "I thought we agreed you would stay outside, not come in and frighten me to death."

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't sing again?" He raised his eyebrow, looking decidedly delicious.

I opened my mouth to respond but changed my mind and closed it again, stepping out of the bath. He held out his hand and took mine to help me down, while I clutched at the towel with my other hand. I'd gotten over the shock of the mirror and finally opened my eyes to him. He was dressed only in a pair of grey shorts. I needed to collect myself before I could form a coherent sentence.

"Humming is not singing." I kept it simple.

"Humming? That wasn't what a normal person would call humming." He placed his hands on my shoulders and walked me backward until I felt the ledge of the bathroom cabinet against my bottom.

"So I'm not allowed to make any noises now?" I harrumphed, purposely avoiding his eyes.

"I never said that. In fact, there are some noises you make that I want to hear a_ lot_ more of." He smiled, gently cupping my cheek and turning my head back to look at him.

I rolled my eyes at him and snorted.

"No, not like that, Miss Piggy." He laughed at his own joke.

Crossing my arms, I narrowed my eyes at him again, but I couldn't help but lean my cheek into his warm hand, which didn't help with my attempts to show my irritation. I was so weak.

"Are you not speaking to me now?" He ducked down to look at me, an annoyingly handsome smile on his face that had my own cheek traitorously twitching to respond. I bit my tongue to stop any words from pouring out.

"I see. Well I can't have that, can I?" He cocked his head minutely, deciding his plan, before he grabbed my waist and effortlessly sat me on the ledge, causing the whisper of a gasp to leave my mouth.

"How long do you think it's going to take me to get you to talk?" He ran his hands up my thighs slowly. I squeezed my legs together, locking my ankles and shaking my head. I wasn't going to fall for that trick.

"You think you're a tough cookie?" He placed his hands, palms down, on either side of me, leaning down until he was at eye level. Knowing that looking into his eyes would be my downfall, I kept them trained on the wall over his shoulder, sitting on my hands to stop the urge to reach out and touch him.

Leaning close, he whispered in my ear, "Bad move."

My whole body shivered in response. Ever so slowly, he ghosted his lips from my ear down along my jaw and up to my lips. They never once touched my skin, but the sensation of him so close was a thousand times more powerful, and my breath caught in my throat.

He continued his path, slowly trailing down my neck and along my collar bone. By the time he reached the edge of the towel wrapped around me, my chest was heaving, and I was swallowing back whimpers that threatened to escape.

Hooking his finger under the twist that was holding the towel in place, I had no willpower to stop him, and it fell open. The cold air heightened the responsiveness on my already hard nipples. He wasn't immune to it either, his arousal clearly visible through his shorts.

My hands moved from under my thighs and gripped the edge of the cabinet, forcing my knuckles to turn white from the strain.

His head travelled down over the curve of my breast. I could feel the flush of arousal spreading from my throat to over my chest. His breath ghosted across my nipples, pebbling them. I arched toward him, but he moved backwards, lightly chuckling with a slight shake of his head.

I watched him, the brown hair flecked with lighter gold moving down and down over my stomach. I couldn't hold out much longer. Minute tremors were running through my whole body, and the heat and wetness that pooled between my thighs increased every second. My nerve endings were screaming out for contact.

By the time he'd reached my knees, I was half sliding off the ledge, my elbows shaking and my head leaning against the wall behind me as I watched him from under my eyelashes.

He looked up at me, his eyes darkened with lust. There was no need for words now; I knew what he was asking. I opened myself to him. A moan fell from his lips, and I was unable to watch as he teasingly, achingly slowly continued his tortuous path to where I was desperate for him. The sensations had built to such a level I was sure I was capable of coming without him even touching me.

As he got closer to the apex between my thighs, I felt his hair tickle against my inner thigh, and it was too much. I couldn't take a second more.

"Edward, please," I begged, my voice wavering and husky with desire.

"There we go." He replied breathily, and his hands grabbed my hips. His tongue finally, excruciatingly slowly, licked the inside of my thigh, and he moaned, the vibrations nearly sending me over the edge.

At last, he buried his face into me. His tongue, tasting and teasing and sucking me into an orgasm so powerful, all the words and moans I'd held back erupted as I screamed his name, my fingers curled into his hair as waves rocked my body.

We never made it to breakfast.

* * *

We were delayed yet again when he appeared in his army gear, looking far too hot for his own good. By the time we were ready to leave, we had to run out of his apartment so he'd make it to work on time. We headed to the parking lot, shivering in the cold morning air. All the cars had a thick layer of ice on their windshields. All of them, apart from the van.

Edward looked at me in surprise, and as we got closer, we could see the engine was running. Edward moved in front of me, using his arm to push me gently behind him.

"Hang on, Bella."

"Okay," I whispered nervously.

He pressed the button on the van's keys and van clicked a second later. Edward held his hand up to the window, looking inside before heading around to the back. I followed him cautiously, ready to run if some crazy carjacker jumped out. He checked where I was again before he braced himself, ready to pounce, and ripped open the back door.

An ear-slipping scream ripped through the quiet morning. A very familiar scream.

"What the hell are you doing?" I heard Edward ask as I headed for the van.

Ro sat up, her hair like a bird's nest, wearing a huge coat and an even bigger scowl. Emmett was next to her, leaning back on his elbows, a smug smile on his face as he watched the drama unfold.

"What do you mean what the hell are we doing?" Ro yelled even louder. "What the hell have _you_ been doing?"

She scrambled out of the back, her legs tangled on a boot camp bib as she nearly face planted on the floor. Edward caught her arm, helping her out, but she shook off his arm. Her face was turning bright red.

She looked up at Edward, her toes touching his, and prodded him in the chest. "You locked us out."

I tried not to laugh, but the phrase "what goes around comes around" popped up in my mind, and I couldn't help the giggle that spilled out. I slapped my hand over my mouth, but Ro's eyes snapped to mine, widening as her anger level went up another notch. I was worried she was going to explode.

I held my hands up, backing away as she stalked toward me. I looked imploringly over at Edward and Emmett who were both sitting on the back of the open van watching with bemused expressions.

"B, do you know how cold it is out here?"

"Erm, yes I do, Ro, you locked us out the other week remember?"

"That was not the same."

"How is that not the same?"

She ignored my question. "What were you doing? We called both of you."

"We were probably asleep."

"Asleep!" she fumed. "You locked us out, and you were just asleep!" The screech of her voice made me cringe.

Another laugh bubbled up, and I couldn't stop. The giggles took over. Her eyes flashed angrily, and she lunged for me. I spun on my heel and ran as fast as I could with tears of laughter streaming down my face. It wasn't very fast at all, and she caught me, clipping my heel and pulling me down onto the grass with her.

"You little witch." She was laughing now as she tickled me. Screaming, I tried to wriggle out from under her.

"Stop it, Ro. I can't breathe." I wrapped my legs around her and flipped her over.

"I can't believe you wasted all that time with sleep."

I grabbed her arms to stop the ambush, and she squealed as I nipped her. "We didn't. I was going to tell you once you calmed down."

She finally stilled, her eyes wide, and her mouth curved into a mischievous grin. "Oh, you'd better tell me. _Everything_."

"You are so annoying."

"I'm annoying! I just had to spend a freezing night in the van because of you."

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you." I released her arms but was still partially sitting on her.

"How?"

"I don't know. What do you want?"

She looked over at the boys for a moment who'd moved nearer. Emmett was muttering something about naked mud wrestling.

"Emmett invited me to meet his parents."

"And you want me to come?" I asked, thinking that didn't sound too bad.

"No, that's not it."

"What then?"

"I need you to come shopping with me."

My face fell, and I groaned. Ro laughed as I stood and pulled her up too.

"Seriously, shopping. Why?"

"I need some outfits."

"You have loads of outfits, and you can borrow anything of mine," I added, desperate to get out of shopping.

She shot me a look, holding up two fingers. "Two words. Cold. Van"

I hung my head in my hands. There was no getting out of it.

* * *

I flicked through the scraps of satin, silk and lace that were hung on the display, immediately disregarding all of them. Red, orange, pink, cream, white. "Nope, nope, nope, nope."

Ali appeared by my side, flashing a plum-colored contraption you could easily mistake for dental floss. "This would look amazing with your skin."

Giving her a bitch brow, I puffed out a breath of air, looking to the ceiling. "Since when were you all into shopping and image consulting?" I wagged my finger at her. "You've been spending too much time with Ro. She's rubbed off on you."

"Look, I'm trying to make this shopping trip bearable, so just go along with me, okay? Then we can get out of here and go get some food. I'm so hungry, I nearly ate some of that honey and sugar body lotion over there." She grimaced.

Picking up a midnight blue lace set of bra and panties along with a similar black set, I headed to the changing room where Ro has been bunkered down for the past hour, piles of jewel colored excuses for underwear spilling out from under the curtain.

"Ro, you've got five minutes," I called to her.

"B, come here," she hissed. I stuck my head around her curtain, my eyes widened at the sight before me. Ro was ensconced in a red baby doll with marabou feathers lining the edge.

"Erm, I'm not sure about that. What exactly is the look you're going for? You look like a desperate housewife."

"No I don't. _This_ is sexy." She twirled around.

"Of course it's sexy, Ro, but you do realize you've got double cleavage?"

I poked her bust where it was overflowing the edge of the balcony bra.

"I know. It must fit small or something. This is my right size." She hiked it up and squished her boobs further in.

Spotting a pale green, sheer negligee on the floor, I held it up to her. "Try this. I'm sure Em will love it."

"Ooo, I do like that one too. Now what have you got?" She appraised the hangers gripped in my hand and rolled her eyes.

"Go and try those on, but let me add something else." She rummaged around on the floor and handed me a garter belt and a pack of stockings. "These complete the set," she added, cutting me off with the curtain, leaving no room for argument.

I had to admit the lace bra did look good. I eyed the garter belt with reluctance, but the thought of Edward discovering what I was wearing was enough to make me step out of my comfort zone and buy it.

Ali had given up and gone on the hunt for some food to snack on, so after getting my purchase wrapped up, I went to drag Ro from the changing room.

"Come on, we're leaving right now," I called out to her.

"Hang on, hang on. I'm coming. Here, can you hold this for me?" She shoved the red-feathered creation at me.

"I thought we'd vetoed this one," I reminded her.

"I'm getting both. So I'm prepared for all eventualities."

"Ro, you're going to his parents for the weekend. What kind of eventualities do you think there will be? You're not planning on rocking up to breakfast in this are you?"

She gasped. "Oh no, I didn't think about breakfast. What should I wear? Do I need to get a dressing gown? Maybe a nice silk one?"

I laughed at her. "You do know that you're not a character in Dallas? Just get dressed before you go down to breakfast. Now come on, let's go."

"You're no fun. Can you just get me the next size up in the red? I'll meet you at the checkout."

"Okay, you've got two minutes."

Weaving through the displays, I spotted a flash of red feathers by the entrance to the shop and headed straight for it. I was searching through the hangers when a familiar voice spoke. "Bella?"

I spun round to see the tall, dark and handsome Dr. Black. "Hey, Jake."

"I wasn't sure if it was you at first." He smiled at me, his teeth whiter than white against his black shirt. Standing next to him without the added height of my heels, I realized how tall he was, and I had to crane my neck to look at him.

"Yep, it's me. How have you been?"

"I'm really good, thanks. Better after seeing you."

I couldn't help but smile. He somehow managed to flirt without it coming across cheesy. His friendly face and the warm smile that lit up his deep brown eyes might have had something to do with it.

"What are you doing here?" I couldn't imagine him as the type to frequent lingerie shops, but maybe I was wrong.

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "I spotted you as I was walking past. Thought I'd say hi. I'm on my way to a conference, hence the get up." He gestured to his suit.

Looking extremely dashing in a silver grey suit, black open-necked shirt, and black dress shoes, I had to give it to him—he looked slick.

"I didn't think I'd seen you in here trying on any bras." I said.

"No, I can never find anything to fit me," he joked. "I see you've managed to find something." His eyes went to the red abomination clutched in my hands.

"Oh no, this isn't for me." I quickly hung it back up, wanting to disappear into the ground.

"I believe you," he said. He clearly didn't.

I was going to have to kill Ro when she finally emerged.

"How are you feeling about that coffee?" he asked.

I laughed nervously, not sure how to broach the subject. No matter how handsome Dr. Black was, he paled in comparison when I thought of Edward. My skin tingled where he'd touched me earlier, and excitement danced and skipped across my body at the mere thought of him.

"I'm seeing someone at the moment," I explained.

He didn't try to hide his disappointment. "The guy from the club?"

I nodded, and he smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess I was too late."

"B, there you are. Did you get the right size?" Ro appeared at my side, her eyes flicked to Jake and widened in recognition.

"Hey, it's the hottie doctor." She elbowed me.

"Ro, this is Dr. Black. Jake. Jake, this is my friend Rosalie."

He shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Rosalie."

"You too, Dr. Black," she responded then turned back to me. "Did you find the right size?"

"Oh, sorry. Here is _your_ size." I exaggerated handing it over to her. Jake chuckled under his breath.

"I'm just going to buy these. Did you get the sexy suspenders I picked for you?" Her blue eyes twinkled playfully, and I felt my cheeks heat up.

I bit my lip to stop the expletives from pouring out. "Yes, Ro, I did."

She laughed as she headed to the checkout. "Bye, Jake."

"Sorry about her." I flapped my hand in her direction. "She's got mental problems."

"I like her. She's got spunk." He laughed.

"She's got that alright."

He looked at his large silver watch. "I'd better get going, or I'm going to be late."

"Okay, Jake. It was good to see you again."

"You too, Bella, and I'm still going to hold out for the coffee." He smiled before he added, "And I'm extremely jealous of whoever it is who's going to get to see you in any of this." He gestured to the store. "He's a very lucky man. You make sure you tell him that."

I laughed, imagining how well that would go down.

"I hope I'll see you soon. Bye, Bella."

* * *

**AN**: Thank you for reading and for all the support you've given me since I first started this story. It's what makes it all worthwhile.

Have a brilliant Christmas and New Year. I'll see you in 2013.

Kate xxx

* * *

**A couple of rec's for you:**

**Salacious** by **Cutestkidsmom –** Sumptuous and erotic with a high risk of injury from Edward induced collapses

_In a world where money is power, and power is everything, Edward must stay true to the society he was raised in to, and stay true to its values. Laid back Bella is the object of his affection, and he will stop at nothing to have her, What is your life worth? Would you hand it over to a beautiful stranger for money? _(Check out **Because of A Boy** too. Le sigh)

**Beneath This Sky** by **Bedelia – **atmospheric and beautifully written time travel story set in a post apocalyptic world. Unique and addictive.

_Nineteen years ago, time unraveled. In a changed world, Bella fights to save a man from the past and a girl with no future. AU._

**The Other Side of the Fence **by** Edward's Eternal – **Fenceward and Chefella own me right now. Totally intriguing.

_He hides to protect those he loves, she hides because that is all she knows. Isolation is a way of life for both of them. Two neighbours. All that separates them is a fence. Who knows what waits on the other side? Can they be strong enough to find out?_


	16. Windmills

**AN:** Thank you for all the reviews and follows. I'm a bit behind on my replies since Christmas, but I will catch up. I appreciate every single one.

Thanks to **cutestkidsmom **and** Chocaholic123** for prereading and **Jcat5507** & **2Shaes** from PTB for betaing. I have been messing a lot since so all mistakes are mine.

SM owns Twilight.

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**~0~0~0~ Windmills ~0~0~0~**

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Dressed in a simple black dress with my favorite black stilettos and trussed up in the underwear Ro had forced upon me, I headed up the stairs to see Edward. Part of me wanted to rush to his door, but I was worried the garter elastic would ping off, so I was performing a slow shuffle and hoping it came off as a sexy wiggle.

As I rounded the corner, a delicious smell hung in the air, and I saw that he was waiting for me, leaning on the doorframe. His face lit up as I smiled, and he met me halfway down the corridor.

"Hey." He kissed my cheek and drew me into his arms, burying his face into my hair.

"Hey. Something smells nice," I said.

"You can say that again," he murmured, his lips brushing against my neck.

Taking my hand, he led me into his apartment. "You look stunning." His eyes roved over me, and my body tingled under his lustful gaze. I tugged at the hem of my skirt.

"I'm a bit over dressed."

"Not at all." He shook his head as if it was the daftest thing he'd ever heard. "This is a high class restaurant."

"Really? I was going to wear my diamonds but …"

"They're being polished?" he offered.

"Yes. My butler is buffing them as we speak," I answered in my best attempt at the Queen's English. "Can I do anything to help?" I eyed the kitchen area which looked like a bomb had gone off in it.

"No, milady. You just go and relax. Everything's under control. Do you want a drink?" he asked over his shoulder as he headed back into the kitchen.

"I'll have some wine if you've got any?"

"Coming up." A loud crash made me cringe. "Shit. Shit. Ouch."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Bella, go and sit." He pointed to the couch.

"Yes, sir." I chuckled, settling on the couch.

I felt nervous waiting for him, like it was our first date, irrelevant of the fact that we had a decent working knowledge of each other's bodies. I squirmed at the memories. The feel of the stockings on my thighs were encouraging erotic thoughts as I crossed my legs, the tug of the garter belt heightening my awareness. I wanted to tell Edward what I was wearing. Hell, I wanted to strip off and show him, but I'd heard that kind of thing was frowned upon in these "exclusive establishments".

"Here you go." He handed me a glass of cold wine, sitting down beside me.

"This cooking malarkey is harder than it looks."

"I honestly don't mind helping," I offered for the third time.

"No, it's okay. I think I've almost got it under control. I made Spaghetti Alla Norma. Is that okay?"

"It smells delicious, and I love Italian." I had no idea what that was, but it smelled mouthwatering.

"Good." He looked relieved as he slid closer to me, taking the glass from my hand and leaving it on the table.

"Can I have a kiss?"

"You don't ever have to ask me." I looked at him properly for the first time that night; his hair was tamed slightly more than usual. I was hoping I could rectify it back to its rucked up bed head later on. I ran my hand along his freshly shaven jaw and pulled his perfectly plump lips to mine.

I could quite happily forgo everything in life for kissing him. We lost track of time in each other until a timer pinged, and he jumped to sort out the kitchen. I was going to have to refrain from kissing him if I was going to make it through the meal. I was standing close to the point of no return and was seriously considering striding in to the kitchen and demanding he take me to bed.

.

A few minutes of clattering later, he called me through. He'd set up table placings on the breakfast bar and all the mess seemed to be piled into the sink. He sat me with my back to it with a sheepish grin on his face. "I don't know how chefs keep it tidy."

"They have helpers." I quirked my brow at him.

"I'll do it later." He shrugged.

"We'll do it together later," I added.

"Oh yes, we definitely will." He sat down across from me, smirking.

I smacked his jean clad leg, laughing. He leaned back and dimmed the lights, stretching his pale blue button down shirt just enough to reveal his toned stomach and the start of his treasure trail. I gulped down some wine and snapped my attention back to the steaming bowl of pasta in front of me. Damn, he made me want him so easily.

Tasting some of the spaghetti, his eyes watching my reaction like a hawk, I was ready to pull out my best acting skills, but it was actually incredible.

"It's really good." I nodded at him and ate another forkful. Happy it wasn't poisonous. He then started on eating his.

"So what have you been up to today?" I asked him.

"Cooking this," he mumbled between mouthfuls.

"All day?"

"I had to get the ingredients first." He shrugged.

I laughed at him. He clearly wasn't lying.

"I heard you went shopping?" he said.

"Ro?"

He nodded, his mouth full.

"Yep, we went to get some erm… stuff." I ran my fingers along the stem of my wine glass, debating whether to expand on our little trip.

"Stuff?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"Nope. She said she wasn't sure what you'd bought in the end and to ask you. I have to admit I forgot. Girlie shopping trips aren't my favorite topic of conversation."

"Oh, I didn't get much." I'd let him find out later.

.

After discussing the rest of our day and the dangers of eating nightmare-inducing cheese before bed, I lay down my fork. Resisting the urge to lick the bowl, I squeezed his jean-clad knee. "That was really, really good. Compliments to the chef."

"I'll pass them onto him." He winked and whisked the plates away. Then he grabbed my hand, flicked the lights off with his free hand, and led me to the lounge. "Do you want to put some music on or watch a film?"

"Music is good." There was no way I could focus on a movie.

He threw me an iPod. "Put it on the dock and choose anything you like. I'll be back in a minute."

After agonizing over the song choice, I finally selected a playlist he'd entitled "Smoothies." I wandered around the room, noseying through the piles of books and magazines piled around and scrutinizing his extensive film collection that was organized in alphabetical order.

I found myself walking down the hallway toward the front door, pausing at each of the aerial photographs, drawn to their beautiful simplicity.

I was mesmerized by the image of dusty, rocky mountains slashed through by a deep ravine. Peering closer, I thought I could make out small houses dotted on ledges.

A loud laugh came from the hallway outside the door, and I couldn't help but stand on my tiptoes to peek through the spy hole. A couple were passing by, giggling and joking with each other. I smiled, and a warm sensation bloomed in my chest as I thought about Edward. His voice startled me a second later.

"Are you leaving without paying?" he asked.

I spun around to see him, a half smile lifting his cheek.

"No. I would never do such a thing." I shook my head incredulously.

He sauntered toward me, a glint in his eye that sent my pulse racing.

"It looked to me like you were making a quick escape." Raising one eyebrow, he stopped just short of me.

"I was just getting ready to pay. Do you accept credit cards?"

He shook his head, inching closer. His hand reached for my wrist, encircling it gently with his fingers. "No."

"Cash?"

Pressing his body closer to mine, I had to step backwards until the door was pressed up against my back. I tilted my head to look into his eyes.

"No," he answered in a low voice.

"Check?"

His hands found my hips, his fingers digging in gently, enticingly.

"No."

"Well, how does one pay at this restaurant?" Lifting my hand, I trailed my fingers over his jaw.

"That dress should about cover the wine." He turned his face into my palm; I could feel his smile in the kiss he placed there.

"What about the rest of the meal?"

"What else have you got to offer?" He looked down at me while he ran a finger along the neckline of my dress, a flush rising under its path.

With the warmth of the red wine added to the arousal rushing through my veins bolstering me on, I slipped my dress off my shoulders, letting the material fall to the floor in a pile of silk.

A strangled rasping noise came from Edward as he took in my midnight blue lace bra and panties and the satin garter belt that held up my sheer black stockings.

"Does this cover it?" I asked, my confidence increasing under his intense stare.

"Yes, but I'm not sure I deserve such a big tip." His eyes finally finished their burning trail across my bare skin and lifted to mine.

I shrugged. "You could work on your customer service a little."

"Oh yeah?" His hands found my hips again, sliding reverently over my lace-clad bottom.

"Yeah. You can start by kissing me here." I pressed a finger to my cheek.

Smirking, he pressed a soft kiss on my face.

"And here." I pointed to my lips which he brushed feather light with his own.

Tipping my head back, I pointed to my neck. "And here."

His tongue swirled out, licking the soft skin under my jaw, alternating soft kisses and licks down to my collarbone. My heartbeat thrummed like a hummingbird's wings as he looked back at me for direction. I traced a finger lightly across the curves of my breasts.

"Here." I barely breathed it before he lifted me up with a growl, and I wrapped my legs around his hips as he pressed me into the door. His face buried into my cleavage as he nipped and sucked.

He held me up one-handed and leaned back slightly. I used the door to support myself, clenching my legs around his waist to stop from falling. He masterfully unhooked my bra one-handed: a professional it would seem. I cocked my head at him, and he looked up at me from under his lashes as he captured my nipple with his mouth, a sly smile on his face. I was about to make a snarky comment when he tugged on the sensitive skin with his teeth, earning a loud moan that would probably have been heard on the ground floor.

Conscious of the fact I was half naked and he was fully dressed, I pushed his chest back and unwrapped my legs. He lowered me slowly to the floor, and I began to unbutton his shirt.

"You don't need this anymore," I explained, pushing it off his muscular shoulders, my eyes immediately falling on his chest, drawn down the line between his muscles to his belt.

"Or this," I added, unbuckling it and popping the button on his jeans.

"I thought you were the one who had to pay?" He was grasping at my bare skin as I fought with his jeans.

"I thought the customer was always right?" Victorious in my endeavor, I began to pull them down, but he stopped me.

"Bed. Now," he ordered. My body purred to his deep voice. Grabbing his hand, I led him down the hall. He hung behind, and I thanked the Lord that the lights were dimmed.

I walked to the end of the bed still clad in my stilettos and stockings, my mind turning over the best way to get my panties off. The way they showed it in movies was not realistic at all. Should I undo the clasps on the stockings, take the belt off altogether, would he rip them off? I considered the material not sure he could tear the satin and lace without causing me grievous bodily harm. I turned to face him. Somehow, whilst I'd been pondering the intricacies of panty removal, he'd gotten naked.

Standing in the darkened room, illuminated only by moonlight, I drank in the sight of his body greedily—his broad shoulders and chest, tapering down to his lean stomach, the flicks of ink a stark contrast against his pale skin, his erection standing proud against his stomach, right down to his muscular thighs. Looking back at his face, his eyes were level with my chest, and I smiled, reaching out to lift his chin so his eyes met mine. He didn't bother to hide his smirk.

"Should I take these off? They can be a little tricky." I snapped the elastic that held up my stockings for emphasis.

"No." He growled, stalking toward me until my knees hit the bed causing me to sit down. I was eye level with his arousal, so there was nothing to do other than grasp it. Moaning, he ran his hand over my hair as I brought him to my mouth and flicked my tongue out to taste. I swirled it around, and his fingers curled into my hair; the almost painful tugging sensation elicited a hum of arousal from me, and judging by his moaned response, he'd benefitted too.

Licking up and down his length, I took him into my mouth, but he pulled my head back and looked down at me fiercely. "I need to be inside you."

I bit my lip to contain the welp that threatened to escape. He pushed my shoulders back until I was lying on the bed and settled himself between my thighs with a gentle thrust of his hardness against my lace-covered center. I closed my eyes relishing the exquisite sensation.

I felt his lips brush over my closed eyelids and down to my lips which parted to taste him, his tongue flicking gently against mine, but within seconds the kiss increased in desperation, and I dug my nails into the soft skin on his back, feeling his muscles moving underneath.

I couldn't have cared less if he had injured me getting me naked but, instead, he simply ran his fingers down my side and around my bottom to the heat between my legs. I became more enflamed as he softly ran his finger across the thin strip of lace that covered where I was aching for him. I pushed my hips up, and he caught my whimper with his own mouth, kissing my lips and whispering, "Bella. I need you."

He lifted the material aside and after a pleasurable second of his fingers, I felt him there. One hand lifted my leg, the other caressed my cheek as he locked eyes with me, slowly filling me until my toes curled and my cries echoed thoughout the room.

He earned every single cent of his tip.

.

.

Later that night, I climbed out of his bed, wrapping the cream sheet around my naked body and headed out on a hunt for my discarded clothes. My legs felt decidedly shaky as I walked, trailing the bed sheet, to the hallway, picking up various bits along the way. Finding the final item, my dress, by the front door, I again stopped to look at the photo of the ravine.

I didn't hear him come up behind me but felt his arms as they encircled my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"I can't decide whether you look more like a bride or a ghost," he mumbled into my neck, his breath tickling, making me laugh.

"Which would be worse?"

"I'm not sure." He laughed. Interesting, I'd have to probe into that comment later on.

"I really like this picture." I leaned back into his hard body, enjoying the warmth of his skin against mine. "Are those people's houses?"

"Yes. The homes are caves, and some have been carved into the rock. They're usually centuries old, and generations of families have lived in them."

"It's unbelievable. It looks so remote and barren. Inhospitable." I ran my fingers over the soft hair on his forearm; nothing else could compare to the feeling of being wrapped in his arms.

"They learn to live with it I guess. Those conditions."

"I guess that's true of everyone to some extent," I answered. He didn't respond, just placed a kiss on my bare shoulder. "I mean, we learn to live with the hand we're dealt."

"I suppose, but you can always try and change your hand or walk away from the game."

I wondered what he meant, but he spoke before I could ask. "Riley took these photos." His voice was barely above a whisper.

There was only one person he could have been talking about. "Your friend?"

He nodded, his chin scratching against my skin.

"He was an incredible photographer."

"Yes. He was." His voice belied his sadness, and a weight pressed onto my chest for him. I covered his arms around my waist with my own. Still in two minds whether to turn around.

"Tell me about him?" I asked softly, waiting for a moment before adding, "You don't have to." I squeezed his arm gently.

He blew out a slow breath, and it felt like he was deflating, his head becoming heavier on my shoulder. I was about to spin around and change the subject when he began to talk.

"Riley is, _was_, my best fried. We grew up together. His family moved on to our street when I was seven. I was ecstatic. I finally had someone to play football with. Not having any brothers or sisters can suck sometimes." I inclined my head back to rest my cheek against his, nodding. I could sympathise with him on that point.

His head lifted and, taking my hand in his, he lead us to the couch, pulling me into his lap before he continued. "I headed over and asked him to play while his parents were unpacking the moving van. I think they were glad I got him out from under their feet for a few hours. In fact, probably for years."

"Did you go to the same school?" I asked.

"Yep, we were like two peas in a pod according to my mum. She said we were a matching pair. I always had my head in the clouds and he always had his to the ground." A smile grew on his face as he spoke nostalgically about his friend, but it was brittle and cracked after only a few seconds.

"Why did she say that?"

"He was obsessed with insects and mud." He smiled wistfully. "At one point he was banned from my house for releasing a stag beetle back into the wild. The wilds of my kitchen."

"I'd have banned him too." I shuddered at the thought.

"His dad bought him this really old camera for his thirteenth birthday, and all he did was take picture of bugs. Drove his mum round the bend having to pick them up from the developers. Photography became his passion too."

I nodded, remembering a mortifyingly embarrassing episode where I picked up a pack of photos that were the exhibits for "Ro's Wall of Pecs:" a project she'd undertaken one summer on First Beach.

"He was going to go to university to study insects and become an entomologist, but his plans changed." His voice had garnered a sharp edge. It struck me that he sounded angry.

Wanting to steer him away from whatever it was that had elicited that reaction I asked, "You said your head was always in the clouds?"

He laughed quietly, but it wasn't a warm laugh. "I wanted to be an astronaut. Ry was obsessed with bugs. I was obsessed with stars and planets."

"And you didn't get into Astronaut School?" I tugged lightly on the back of his hair, turning his face to mine. I smiled and tickled the short hair above the nape of his neck, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah. They said it was my name. They couldn't have an astronaut called Edward. It wasn't cool enough."

"Erm, Neil isn't exactly cool," I added.

"Yeah, but it's no Yugi Gagarin."

"True." I nudged him playfully.

"So, I decided to do the next best thing, and so my obsession with planes began."

I could see where he was going with this and decided to just let the conversation take its course.

"The Army Air Corps."

He nodded. "Yep. It was a choice between that or commercial airlines, but I liked the idea of the Army. I've always been fit, and I liked the idea of helping your country and all the other patriotic stuff, you know?"

"I can't imagine you as an airline pilot." The thought of him in a shirt and tie was surreal.

"Not got a thing for pilots? I thought all women had fantasies of entering the mile high club."

"Well, I'm not saying I don't want to do that." I smirked at him. "But, I much prefer you in _your _uniform— all sweaty and muddy. I like you just the way you are."

He pulled me closer to him and kissed me, his tongue meeting mine and gently teasing until I pulled away, to which he let out a rumble.

"Do you still like stargazing now?" I asked. I knew a little about the constellations but only the most famous.

"I don't know. I've not really thought about them for a long while."

"Why not?" I kicked myself as soon as the words were out. My mouth in gear and my brain in neutral. "Sorry. Ignore me." I waved myself off.

"No, it's okay. I haven't really thought about it since Ry. It's hard to think about certain things, things that remind me of our time out there. The stars in the desert are something to see. Spectacular." His arms tightened around me as he spoke, and I rested my head on his shoulder, my palm on his chest.

"You joined together?" I asked.

"He joined because of me." This silence that followed his comment was thick with his sadness. I wanted to chase it all away from him.

He sighed before he continued, "I saw a recruitment drive and got swept up in it all. He put his dream on hold to come with me. We thought it would be an adventure." He scoffed. "Some adventure, hey?"

"You can't blame yourself." I sounded like a bloody book of the perfect responses to difficult situations. I hated myself for being so predictable.

"I don't blame myself really. I understand that these things happen. I just find myself wondering what would have happened if we'd taken a different path." He was idly stroking his thumb across my back, soothingly.

I didn't know what to say so I opted for silence and raised my hand to cover his neck, his pulse thumping into my palm as I scratched the nape of his neck with my nails. There was nothing I could say.

There are many times in my life where I'd had to choose a specific path. If I hadn't chosen to come to England, I would never have met Edward, but also I would never have known what I was missing. I wasn't sure which was the worse situation to be in? Knowing what you might lose or never knowing what you could have had?

After a few minutes I broke the silence. "He was so talented. His photographs are mesmerizing."

"He was excellent at capturing beautiful things, something I could never manage to achieve." He paused, pulling me onto his lap so I was facing him. He cupped my face, brushing his thumb across my lips.

As I looked into his clear sea-green eyes, his lips curved into a beautiful smile. "Perhaps I'm wrong about that though, because somehow, I've managed to capture you."

**~o~o~o~o~**

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AN: Thank you for reading xxx

**A couple of rec's for you:**

**Fix You** by **Chocaholic123 – **_Brand spanking new fic that is going to be incredible._

**Of Pleasure and Pain **by** GemmaH – **_Heartbreaking but uplifting too. Well worth a read_

**Under My Skin **by** MissJude – **_another new fic it's Tattward!_

**Starry Eyed Inside** by **Rochelle Allison** – _an all time favourite_

**The Sea of Tranquility **by **Katja Millay** – _this is a book NOT a fic but it owns me right now so I had to recommend!_


	17. The Star

**AN: **A little earlier than planned. Thanks for the reviews & follows this last week.

Thanks to the lovely **kstewandrpatz** who has featured MS&B on her blog **Ms. Swan's Bookstore** and made me a beautiful banner. The link is on my profile. There are loads of other brilliant recs there too.

**Cutestkidsmom** and **Chocaholic123** pre-read and talk me down of cliffs on many occasions, and **Jcat5507** and **mcc101180** beta'd this hot mess. Thanks Ladies. You rock x

Love to all the girls in my FB groups.

SM owns Twilight.

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**~o~o~o~ The Star ~o~o~o~**

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I tugged the laces tighter on my sneakers, not wanting lose them in the muddy fields during boot camp, and peered outside into the darkening evening. Thankfully there was no rain yet, but it had hardly let up over the past week, so I knew I would be returning looking like the Monster from the Bog.

The past few weeks had been a blur of green eyes, tangled limbs, and a euphoric high, but the foreboding presence of coursework and exams was knocking on the door once again. Ro and Ali had managed to talk me back into boot camp using Edward as the ace up their sleeves—I was a total pushover when he was involved.

Once outside, I zipped up my jacket against the chill and headed to the mingling crowd around the van. Edward spotted me immediately and flashed a smile over the heads of the girls who were taking an inordinate amount of time trying to flirt their way through roll call. He finished ticking them off the list and walked over to me, placing a kiss on my cheek and swatting my butt with the clipboard.

"What took you so long?" he asked, crossing me off the list.

"Why? Did you miss me?" I tried to sound sultry, but the shiver that wracked my body made it sound shakier.

"Always." He smiled, nodding his head back to the group. "I'd better finish up. Be careful tonight. The conditions aren't too good out there."

"When are they ever?" I grumbled, watching him walk away. We'd been spending so much time together, I'd managed to force the worries of going home outside of our little bubble. However, seeing him here in his own environment, doing what he does on most days—what he'd still do once I went home—always made me feel a little sick.

As I stretched, I forced my mind to focus on something else—the burn of my muscles and the cold air against my cheeks served as easy distractions. A pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, and a head leaned on my back. Ro's perfume was unmistakable.

"Hey, Ro, you made it then?" She'd come with Emmett, who walked by us, saluting to me as he passed.

"Yep. Emmett's never one to be late." She grumbled.

"What's up?" I sensed that perhaps all was not well with the lovebirds.

"Nothing. I'm fine. He just didn't want me to come tonight, but I insisted, so he's not too happy with me." She dropped her arms from my waist and came to stand next to me, rubbing her face before stretching her arms over her head.

"Why didn't he want you to come?" I asked, convinced he would have had a good reason.

She waved her hand in the air. "He's worrying about me being too tired. He thinks I should just take it easy, but there was no way I was letting him come here with all these girls sniffing around like dogs in heat." She scowled at a poor girl who wasn't even looking in Emmett's direction.

"Ro, you seriously can't think Emmett would be interested in anyone else. He's so stuck on you, I'm worried you've become conjoined."

A small smile pulled at her lips. "I guess not."

"And if you're tired, just sit out. Don't push yourself. Are you not sleeping?"

She barked out a laugh at my question. "What do you think?"

And, there was the Ro I knew and loved.

Edward shouted over the chatter for everyone to quiet down. His authoritarian voice sent a thrill skipping across my body. I started wondering why we hadn't considered role-play yet. I must have switched off totally because the whole group suddenly sprinted off, leaving me standing there with my mouth open and my cheeks flushed.

"Swan, that applies to you as well," Edward yelled in my direction. I shot him a dirty look and spun on my heel, racing to catch up with the group as they darted around the field.

As I'd predicted, the mud was sucking my sneakers down with each step. Once we'd finished the lap, my calves were screaming, and my lungs were burning as I tried to gulp in air. I stopped with my hands on my knees to catch my breath, but the group set off again. I rolled my head back and looked up at the dark sky, groaning. A cold hand slipped up the back of my jacket; the shock against my skin drew a sharp gasp.

"Don't think I'm giving you any special treatment because you fucked me silly last night." His rasping whisper set every one of my nerve endings on fire.

I turned to look at him. His smug smile was visible even in the darkness.

"I wouldn't dream of it." I slapped his hand away, returning his smirk, and started to jog away, calling over my shoulder, "Don't expect me to go easy on you later either."

I didn't look back to gauge his reaction, sure I would find out later—banking on it in fact.

The instruction I'd missed while zoning off into fantasyland was that it was circuits tonight. My mouth and body groaned in unison at the thought.

I found Ro and Ali, and determined to stay with them for some moral support. Ali squeezed me in a hug and launched into a mile a minute account of her latest shenanigans with the strapping Jasper Whitlock. I raised an eyebrow at Ro; the change in Ali since she'd met him was a source of hilarity for us. The ball-busting legal eagle had gone all fluffy.

Emmett strode over to our group to give us instructions. I could vaguely see Edward on the other side of field, making his way around the small groups disbursed throughout it.

"Eyes front, Swan," Emmett boomed, not trying to conceal his raucous laughter as he folded his arms. "This group is on Burpees. Got it?"

There was an audible groan from every one one of us. A small girl with a voice as quiet as a church mouse spoke. "What's a burpee?" She'd addressed the group rather than Emmett, probably terrified of him. He was imposing in his full regalia. If I didn't know that he secretly liked to soak in vanilla scented bath oils, I would be too.

"Yeah, Em, what's a burpee?" Ro spoke up for the girl.

"You know what one is, Ro—why don't you show us?" Emmett didn't move an inch.

Ro scratched her head. "I can't remember properly, and I wouldn't want to do it wrong. Why don't you show us?" She elbowed me.

I wasn't going to get involved, so I shook my head at her and laughed, but Ali had no such qualms. "Yeah, go on, Em."

Emmett threw his hands in the air in a rather dramatic gesture that belied his true nature and dropped to the ground, executing the exercise perfectly. "Okay, have we all got that?" he asked when he'd returned to his feet.

Affirmatives rang out from everyone apart from Ro, "I didn't quite get that. Can you do it again?" Her voice had taken on a purr.

Emmett reacted to it like Pavlov's dog to a bell and dropped to do another.

"One more time," she said, and he did it again. His eyes focused intently on Ro as he stood, an altogether inappropriate expression on his face.

"Right, that'll do. I think we've got it." I interrupted their moment, much to the relief of the whole group who all dropped to the ground. Ro giggled and joined in as Emmett watched her for a moment before striding off to the next group.

"You are ridiculous, Rosalie," I admonished, trying to hide the smile on my face.

"I'm going to see if that works on Jazz later," Ali added.

I snorted at them both, the layer of thick mud stuck to my hands and knees a more immediate concern than anything else.

We made our way around each circuit, getting dirtier and colder at each turn.

Finally, we ended up in the same spot as Edward who ordered us to get into the plank position. I dropped down, and Ali and Ro burst into laughter from their standing positions.

"What?" I grumbled. "I just want to get this over with."

"Yeah, yeah, holier than thou. We see you down there," Ro chimed.

I ignored them and focused on keeping my hands still and preventing myself from face planting in the mud as they continually slid forward on the wet ground.

Edward walked around the group, correcting positions. It was dark enough to hope he couldn't really see what my body was doing because, whatever it was, it probably wasn't a plank.

He'd said that hundreds of evening classes and eating copious amounts of carrots had gifted him with night vision. His reaction to me walking around naked in the dark was a testament that he could see more than the normal man, or at least he had good spatial awareness.

It didn't take long for his hands to find me. Firstly, a hand on my bottom, pushing it gently down, caressing a moment too long. "Lower your bum."

"I'm trying, but my hands are slipping," I responded through gritted teeth. The burn in my stomach muscles was beginning to grow, and the slightest tremors were making my arms even more unstable.

He knelt down beside me, shielding me from the rest of the group, his hand on my bottom again. "Keep it low or your muscle group won't work properly, and you'll just hurt you back."

"I'm trying." The burn started in my calves, and my wrists felt like they were made of brittle twigs that could snap at any moment.

His other hand ran over my stomach and down in between my hips, manipulating me into the correct position. "There, you feel that?" he asked, his voice quiet, husky.

"Yes." I fought the shakes in my elbows, determined to last longer, but I needed no other distraction when his hand moved under my jacket and down inside my workout pants and into my panties.

His palm rested in the same place as before but against my skin. My breathing hitched, and I looked to the rest of the group—no one could see.

"Edward," I warned, but my admonishment was weak. He supported some of my weight on his hand as he slipped it down farther and farther until his fingers met the wetness that had begun to build once I'd realized his intentions.

"Just like that," he whispered, slipping farther across the sensitive bud and circling. The thrill of his touch made my right knee collapse into the mud.

"Lift your leg up," he ordered loudly, indicating he was still working with me.

His voice increased the pleasure coiling inside me even more, and his fingers increased the pressure, the shaking in my arms spreading to my whole body.

"Edward." I breathed shakily.

Suddenly he whipped his hand out as a voice spoke up from over his shoulder. The relief, disappointment, and utter frustration caused my elbows to give way, and I collapsed down onto the ground, my flushed cheek soothed by the cool mud.

I didn't care that I was fully splayed out on the cold, wet, and muddy grass as I lay there panting, but I was adamant that he would finish what he started.

.

.

I spent the remainder of the class scowling at Edward, or at least in his direction, at every opportunity I could, but that didn't stop me from hanging around for him at the end. I'd said my goodbyes to Ali, who was rushing off so Jasper could give her a massage. I'd bitten back the ribbing I wanted to give her—they were right: I was just as sucked in to Edward.

I toed some loose tarmac with my sneaker, my hands stuffed deep in my pockets for warmth. Edward was out in the middle of the field, collecting all the boot camp paraphernalia. The chill was already numbing my toes and the end of my nose, so I jogged over to him to keep warm. Or at least that was what I told myself.

"Hey, beautiful, coming to help?" he asked, bending to pick up a stack of cones.

"Nope. I'm gonna run back now. Just keeping warm." I turned and jogged the other way, but he was quicker and grabbed me before I got far, swinging me around, wrapping me tightly in his arms.

"You're not going anywhere," he warned, placing me down and pressing his ice-cold lips against my neck.

"Argh. Get off." I twisted out of his arms, darting out of his reach. "You can warm those hands up before you come near me too."

Laughing, he went back to packing the rucksack. "Just hang on here though. It's too dark to be wandering around on your own."

"I can handle myself." I scoffed, eyeing the now almost pitch black parking nervously.

"Oh I don't doubt that," he added, shaking his head minutely.

I ignored him and waited impatiently, wriggling my toes in my sneakers to keep the blood circulating. The sky was cloudless, a vast and deep inky black. The stars were out in their full glory, as far as the eye could see.

I tipped my head back, trying to remember the constellations I knew. I spotted a few easily enough, but as I twisted around slowly, I could see the shapes but couldn't recall any more names.

"You'll strain your neck looking at them like that." Edward appeared beside me, and I snapped my head down, conscious to change to subject after his admission earlier in the week.

"Are you ready to go?"

"You don't have to do that." He hoisted the bag onto his shoulder.

"Do what?"

"Pretend you weren't looking at the stars. It was kinda cute, though you looked like you'd got lost in your head for a moment." Grinning, he gestured to the van with his head. "I'll just dump this, and then I want to show you something."

"I wasn't doing …" I trailed off, realizing it was pointless denying it. I was determined to stop putting my foot in the proverbial hole with everything that came out of my mouth, but it seems nothing could stop me, even keeping it firmly shut.

I hung back as he dropped off the bag with Emmett and Ro, speaking with them for a moment. He grabbed something from the van and headed over, his face lit for a moment by the glowing of his phone. Ro and Emmett both waved to me and headed home.

Slipping his phone into his pocket, he handed me a huge coat. "Here, put this on."

I was grateful for the extra warmth even if I was drowning in it. "Where are we going?"

He took my hand in his, tucking both into his pocket. "Just away from the lights a little." There were only a few dim streetlamps and windows illuminated, but we walked across the field into the darkness.

Once my eyes became accustomed to it, I saw he'd brought us to an old picnic bench in a field, surrounded for the most part by woods.

"Hop up," he instructed. I sat on the tabletop with my mucky feet on the seat. Edward squashed up next to me a moment later.

"Isn't it a bit cold for a picnic?" I huddled into the coat, pulling my hands into the sleeves. Clouds of our breaths floated into the sky.

"We're not having a picnic. I'm not hungry." He pulled my face to his, planting a kiss on my lips. "At least not for food."

Wrapping his arm across and under my bottom, he set me onto my back as if I weighed nothing more than a feather. My scream and laughter echoed around the clearing before he silenced me, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss that blew away thoughts of dark woods and chilly nights.

Breaking away, he placed a kiss on the tip of my nose, searching out my hand and clasping it as he lay down next to me on top of the picnic table.

Facing each other, he flashed me his gloriously handsome smile that I was sure had the capability of capturing any girl's heart should he so wish. It had certainly captured mine.

"Are you trying to make me spontaneously combust tonight?" I attempted a glare, pulling my bottom lip with my teeth to fight off a delirious smile.

"No. I wanted to show you something. Look up." I rolled my head flat and looked up into the dark sky. The stars were breathtaking.

"They are so beautiful tonight. You know, I rarely look up, and I've never lay down like this," I said.

"Not even on a romantic date?" he asked, squeezing my hand, subconsciously perhaps as he only released it when I replied I had not.

"I suppose this would be more romantic if we were on a warm beach somewhere or in a flowery meadow or some other romance novel worthy setting, instead of freezing our arses off in the middle of a muddy field."

Giggling, I turned my head, shuffling closer so our arms, bodies, and thighs were flush against each other as we lay flat, and I could feel the heat coming from him through my clothes. "This is more our style don't you think?"

"It seems to be turning out that way." He laughed gently, the familiarity of it wrapped around my heart never failing to make me smile.

"Do you know any of the constellations?" he asked.

I pointed into the sky, joining dot to dots on the ones I did know. "I know The Big Dipper and Orion's Belt."

"The Big Dipper's proper name is Ursa Major, but here in England we call it the Plough. If you find the upper right star of the ladle and follow it directly up, it points you to the North Star, Polaris." He followed the path with his finger.

"Oh, I can see it. It's the bright one."

"Yep. It's one of the most distinguishable stars in the sky. It is the fixed point which can be used for navigation. Sailors used to use it as a guide," he explained, and I had visions of pirates sailing the high seas amidst storms and huge waves.

"Now follow my fingers as I count down the stars." Edward explained each large star as we moved south from the Big Dipper.

The majority of the proper names went over my head, but I was nevertheless mesmerized by his voice. I had never heard him talk for so long about something so passionately, and I knew the more I got to know him and all his intricacies, the more of my heart he held in his own.

"You see that star there? That's Deneb—it's slightly blue. I'm not sure if you can really see that from here without a telescope." His fingers entwined with mine for a moment before his hand again covered mine, holding all my fingers in an attempt to keep them from freezing.

"I think I see it. Do you have a telescope?" I asked.

"Will you think less of me if I said yes?" He joked. We'd kept our eyes straight up into the sky.

"No. I think it's incredible how much you know." I was trying to keep focused, but the stars were starting to blur, so I had to blink rapidly. I didn't want to lose sight of that star.

"I do have one, but I haven't used it in years," he admitted with a soft laugh. "Are you still seeing that star?"

"Yep."

"That star is the brightest star in Cygnus. In fact, it's what they call a super-giant," he added. His enthusiasm was becoming infectious. "The other name for this constellation is "The Swan.""

"Really, it's called 'The Swan?'" I asked in disbelief.

"I promise. If you follow the pattern you'll see the body of the swan and its wings." I followed his fingers and found the pattern; it stood out like a beacon once I knew what I was looking for.

"I see it!" I shouted. My voice echoed, and I covered my mouth, trying to rein in my excitement. The excitement was more from Edward choosing to share something of his with me, something that he'd been avoiding, more than my new astrological knowhow.

"According to legends, Cygnus was the best friend of Phaethon. Phaethon attempted to drive the chariot of the sun but died when he crashed it into the River Eridanus. Cygnus jumped into the river, desperately searching for him. He dove so many times that Zeus took pity on him and turned him into a water bird. That bird took his name Cygnus. Hence swan," he explained.

I was enraptured by his sad story. Leaning up on my elbow, I turned to face him. "Edward?"

I couldn't see his face clearly in the dark, but he took a moment to move, and by the time I could see his face in the moonlight, there was only a small smile.

"Thank you for showing me." Cupping my hand over his jaw, I ran my thumb over his chilled cheek looking into his eyes while a tumultuous wave of emotion gripped me so hard I felt the sting of tears in my own. This man was becoming more than I ever had expected. It seemed so unfair that I was meeting him now with the yawning distance that was about to come between us. I wondered whether it was possible to meet the right person but at the wrong time, and if it was, why?

.

.

As we walked back to the van, after an extra-long make out session more suited to a pair of horny teenagers, his phone vibrated, but he made no move to get it.

"Edward, your phone buzzed." I wasn't sure if he'd heard.

"It's just Emmett. I'm going to see him in a minute." He waved it off with his free hand, the other holding mine.

"Oh, are you going home tonight?" I asked, disappointment clouding my voice. I'd been looking forward to getting warm together.

"Yeah. I have some coursework due tomorrow that I need to finish." He stopped, pulling me into his arms. "I'd love you to come, but you know how distracted I get by you." His voice dropped a tone, immediately turning me on—unfair as he was about to leave me.

"I suppose I'll have to entertain myself tonight. I fancy a nice hot shower." I pressed my lips to his, nipping the bottom one.

He groaned. "Bella. Don't tempt me."

"Your loss." I stood on my tiptoes, grasped his face in my hands and gave him a kiss to remember. A kiss that left us both breathless and wanting. But he was being stubborn, so I pressed one last kiss on his swollen lips and turned around, heading to my dorm.

"Good night, Edward." I smirked once my back was turned. The last image I had of him was one of him standing with his mouth slightly ajar and his hand in his hair. I wondered how long it would take him to follow, but I needn't have bothered because he didn't come at all.

* * *

**~o~o~o~o~o~**

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**AN**: Thanks for reading. Have a fab weekend, and I'll see you next week

Not been doing much reading this week, but here's some of my all time favs:

**Last Tango in Forks** by **AwesomeSauce76** - updated today with an outtake!

**A Thousand Leaves **by **BellaSunshine**

**Finding My Thunder** by **counselor**

Come over to FB and join the **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction **group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	18. Teapot Pushups

**AN:**Thank you to all my lovely readers for your follows and reviews; they never fail to make my day.

Thanks for **cutestkidsmom** and **Chocaholic123** for pre-reading for me and to** jcat5507** and **mcc101180** for beta'ing. I now have a full Muddy Smugward team in place and they are all awesome. Thank you ladies. I alway faff around with it so all mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer: **SM owns Twilight and Ray Charles owns the lyrics to "Georgia On My Mind". No copyright infringement intended.

Bit of info – Marks and Spencers is a shop in the UK that sells amazing food including biscuits/cookies ;)

*blows kisses* to my FB girls. Love you all.

* * *

**~o~o~o~ Teapot Pushup ~o~o~o~**

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I crammed my notes inside the heavy doorstop that was my Criminology and Psychology textbook. Of the thousand odd pages, I'd probably only managed to ready twenty. I tried to rein in my jealously toward the other students who had files overflowing with revision notes, kicking myself for leaving it until the last minute. I decided to place the full blame on Edward's shoulders.

Still sulking from his nonappearance the previous night, I'd been childishly responding to his texts with monosyllabic answers. I gathered my belongings and made my way down the stairs of the lecture hall, giving myself a pep talk to boost my motivation for the upcoming exams.

I was going to have to hit the library hard and avoid all distractions. Edward was number one on my shit list, closely followed by Ro, who had the attention span of a three year old in a toy store. Ali had agreed to give me some revision tips, and offered to study with me, which I'd gratefully accepted.

Pushing through the heavy double doors in to the bright chilly morning, I pulled my wool scarf up against the cold and attempted to dig my gloves out of my bag, one-handedly, while balancing my books on my hip. Exasperated, I gave up, opting to tuck one hand in my coat pocket before I headed to library.

I didn't get far because leaning against the wall with one foot up against the bricks and two steaming coffees in his hands was Edward.

Part of me wanted to march past him with my head held high. I couldn't deny that his absence last night had left a dent in my confidence, but when he smiled at me, my feet overrode anything else, and I found myself walking straight to him.

"Morning," he said. His smile held a touch of nervous anticipation.

I replied nonchalantly, my brain catching up with my feet and admonishing them for their lack of control. "Morning."

"I thought you might need a coffee after your early start." He handed me the hot paper cup. My freezing fingers rejoiced as they wrapped around it.

"Thank you." I knew what had happened last night wasn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I couldn't help the prickly attitude. He'd made me feel foolish, whether intentional or not, and it had stung. However, the fact he was here with a peace offering suggested that he knew that too.

"How was your lecture?" he asked, standing and moving closer to me. He was wearing his gray hoody and a dark blue baseball cap pulled down low, his eyes shaded by the brim.

"It was the usual. Panicking us about the amount we've go to do. Blah, blah, blah." I waved my coffee cup, spilling some over the edge onto my fingers. "Shit. Shit. Ouch."

He jumped, grabbing the coffee cup, and I rubbed my hand dry on my jeans before putting it to my mouth, sucking my burned skin.

"Let me see." He placed the cups on the ground and took my hand in his, inspecting it.

"It's fine." It was tender but the feeling of his cool hands on mine virtually eclipsed the burn.

"I missed you last night." He pressed a kiss onto my reddened skin.

"You didn't need to." I tried to inject some venom into my voice, but it was rapidly draining away now that he was here.

"Bella, please don't think that I didn't want to come. I drove myself mad thinking about you, but I had to get some things done. I will make it up to you tonight." He cupped my face in his hands and brushed his lips across mine.

I could taste the chocolate from the cappuccino on his lips, and it made me want to kiss him again, but I forced myself to stop.

"It's okay. Honestly. I'm busy tonight." I wasn't, but he didn't need to know that.

"Busy doing what? Your hair looks clean enough." His mouth curved into a grin that I rolled my eyes at.

"Actually. I'm going out on the town with the girls. No boys allowed," I informed him.

"Oh, right." He frowned a little, and I couldn't help feeling smug—served him right.

"I've got to go and meet Alice." I gestured to the library. "Shall I give you a call later?"

"I've got a proposition for you, actually." He stepped back, retrieving our drinks from the ground.

"Does this proposition involve nakedness?" I asked, expecting nothing less from him.

"Actually, it doesn't, but I can think of many, _many_ propositions that do, if that's something you're looking for." The glint was back in his eyes, even shaded by his cap. I flicked the brim up to get a better look at them.

"Hey!" He scolded with a smile, fixing it back into place. I inclined my head; the faint bruises under his eyes tugged at me uneasily.

"Are you okay?" I asked, unable to conceal the frown of concern on my face." You look tired."

"Don't worry about me. Late night studying and early morning visits." He shrugged.

"You're silly. You should've stayed in bed." I finished the last of my now cold coffee and took his, throwing them in the trashcan next to the wall.

He pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss on my neck. I felt him breathe in deeply, a hum vibrating near my ear. "I could have done that, but then I would have missed this."

I felt my stubbornness trickle away like water through my fingers, questioning why I'd told him I was going to be busy later that evening.

Regardless of all the students milling around, we kissed like no one was watching. Thoughts, worries, and pressures evaporated into the cold morning. If someone had asked me to name the most important thing in my life, my answer would have been simple—Edward.

Reluctantly pulling away from him, I studied his slightly swollen lips that were turned up into a contented smile. "What's this proposition then?"

He looked sheepish, biting the side of his cheek while his fingers played with the zipper on my coat, as he replied, "How do you feel about meeting my Mum and Dad?"

.

For the rest of the day, I sat in a private study room with Alice and reams of paper and piles of textbooks, but nothing was sinking in because all I could think about was Edward's proposition. He wanted me to meet his parents.

Apparently, Edward had taken my look of abstract horror as agreement because a few days later, we were driving into the countryside with a fuchsia orchid balanced on my lap, in a car borrowed from Emmett.

We hadn't spent much time together over the past few days. I'd finally managed to do some studying, and Edward had been working and studying more than ever as well.

My knee was bouncing until Edward rested his hand on it.

"Don't be nervous. I promise they'll love you," he said, turning to look at me for far too long, considering we were winding around hairpin bends on narrow, hedge-lined roads.

"Edward. Eyes front." I pointed at the windshield.

"I know these roads like the back of my hand. I could drive them blindfolded." He shrugged but conceded and kept his eyes ahead.

"I'd rather you didn't." I was already clinging to the door every time we passed a car, adamant we were going to lose the side mirror or end up in a ditch.

"Relax." He chuckled, squeezing my knee.

"What should I call them?" He'd told me about fifty times, but I wanted to double check.

"Esme and Carlisle."

"Right. I've got it." I chanted it over and over silently.

We pulled into a small neighborhood with quaint houses lining the roads that led to a small park with a pond covered in ice. A few ducks waddled over the frozen surface and paddled at the edge where the ice had thawed. It was like a scene from a picture postcard.

My nerves ramped up a level as the road widths decreased, sensing we were nearly at his parents' house. It wasn't that I was bad at meeting parents; I could hold a conversation with most people, but for some reason that I couldn't put a finger on, I was a wreck.

"Here we are." Edward pulled up outside a small, white stone cottage with a thatched roof. Ivy climbed up the front wall, neatly trimmed away from the roof and windows, and a tangled arch of wisteria framed the wooden front door, its branches bare. I could only imagine how beautiful it would be in the spring and summer when the flowers were in full bloom.

Edward came around to the passenger door and helped me out, taking the orchid in one hand and my hand in his other. He pressed a kiss to my face. "Ready?"

Unlatching the small wrought iron gate, we headed up a mismatched stone path to the front door which swung open before we had a chance to knock, revealing the couple from the photograph in Edward's bedroom.

"There you are." Esme beamed, ushering us inside. She threw her arms around Edward—a hard feat, as her head only came up to his chest. Petite and dressed in a plum-colored sweater, black tailored trousers, and ballet pumps—she was stunning. Her auburn hair lightly curled on her shoulders, and she had the same pair of green eyes I'd fallen for months ago.

"Mum." He hugged her back fiercely, making me smile. My mom always said the way to make sure you had a good man was to watch how he treated his mother. I had no doubt Edward fell into this category. "This is Bella."

"Welcome, Bella." She embraced me without a second's hesitation. "It's so good to finally meet you. Edward never shuts up about you." Esme's warm smile lit up her face.

"Mum," Edward warned her, light heartedly shaking his head.

Carlisle pulled me into a hug moments after Esme. He was of similar height to Edward, dressed in a pair of beige chinos and a tweed blazer with leather patches on the elbows. It was far cry from his colorful Hawaiian shirt ensemble from the photograph, but I did spot a pair of reading glasses with multi-colored frames tucked into the collar of his white shirt. His dark blond hair was swept away from his face, revealing laughter- lined brown eyes a shade lighter than my own.

"It's lovely to meet you. Now, come in and relax while I make a pot of tea." He took my coat and hung it in the hallway.

I followed him into a living room that looked like something from an antiques show. Old mahogany dressers and cupboards lined the walls, covered with various ornaments and photo frames. A large, open log fire, set in a stone hearth, filled the room with a warm glow—the smell of wood smoke and the crackle of the flames were homely. Two sumptuous red couches and a worn, brown leather armchair faced the fireplace, edged around a Persian rug, and a low coffee table sat in its center with a small vase of snowdrops on top.

"This is amazing," I whispered to Edward, who sat down next to me as his parents rushed off into the kitchen. "Are these all antiques?"

"Yep. A lot of the dark wood furniture is. They collect it." He leaned and pressed a kiss on my cheek. "Are you okay now?"

I nodded, and he continued to pepper kisses down toward my neck. I lifted my shoulder to my ear to block him. "Stop it. Your parents might see."

"They won't mind." He laughed, his breath warm against my skin.

"Edward, I don't want their first impression of me to be a bad one," I pleaded with him.

"How anyone could ever think anything bad about you is beyond me," he added, but after pressing one last lingering kiss, he moved back—slightly. We were both still squashed together in the corner of a couch made for three.

Esme returned and placed a pretty china tea set on the coffee table. An intricate design of colorful birds covered each piece, their edges laced with gold. Edward raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. She ignored him as she set up the cups and saucers, but as she bustled out of the room, she slapped his leg softly and shushed him.

"You should feel privileged." He grinned, nodding at the fine bone china. "She was saving that in case the Queen ever visited. She'll be getting the silverware out in a minute."

"Ignore him, Bella," Esme trilled as she returned, offering me a plate of delicious-looking cookies. "He's just jealous."

"Yes, Mum, that's what it is." He chuckled but was cut short by a stern look. She may have been surrounded by men, but there was no doubting who was boss in this family.

I bit into the crumbly, golden slice of heaven. "These are really delicious. What are they?"

"It's homemade shortbread from a recipe passed down the family for generations," she explained, causing Edward and Carlisle, who had reclined in the armchair next to the fire, to burst out laughing.

Esme huffed, and I looked around, waiting for someone to let me in on the joke.

"Whilst my darling Esme is wonderful at many things, baking is not one of them," Carlisle kindly informed me, his eyes doting on Esme. "Nor is she in any way related to Marks or Spencer."

"Spoilsports," she chided them both.

"Edward has told us so much about you, Bella. I feel like I know you already," she spoke as she poured me a cup of tea.

"All good I hope?" I took the proffered drink in both hands, terrified of dropping the fragile cup.

Emse beamed at Edward, a sparkle in her eye before she winked at me. "Good is a _huge_ understatement."

"And all true," Edward added. Esme let of a squeak of delight, not dissimilar to the one I wanted to make, if I hadn't stifled it. He had no idea the impact of his words on me sometimes.

"How are your studies going? Edward said you are taking criminology?" she asked, her voice tinged with an excitement that baffled me.

"Yes, I am, criminology and psychology. It's getting very close to our finals, so I've got a lot going on at the moment. I'll be glad when it's over." I felt Edward's eyes on me as soon as the words had left my mouth, and I knew that he'd felt the aftershock from them as I had—a sensation similar to what you get when you drive fast over a hill.

"I mean, I'll be glad to get the work out of the way." I met his eyes, and his lips curved into a smile that let me know he understood, and it was okay.

"How exciting. I imagine it must be fascinating learning about the psychology behind crimes and why people do the things they do. I might have to pick your brain," she mused.

"Why? Have you had enough of Dad?" Edward quipped.

She cocked her head at Carlisle, pausing for a moment before she answered, "No, not quite yet, but you never know what the future holds, or what he might do to push me over the edge." Esme arched a perfect eyebrow as him as she sipped her tea.

Carlisle steepled his fingers; his elbows rested on the arms of the chair, his index fingers tapping his lips. A crooked smile slowly revealed itself under them, leaving no doubt as to where Edward got it from.

Watching them both, I felt like we were intruding on a private moment between two lovers, until Edward cleared his throat. "Mum, you were saying?"

A look of pure adoration passed over her face as she smiled at Carlisle and turned her attention back to me. "Yes, I was hoping to pick your brains for my new book. I'm hoping to add some murder mystery into it."

My interest was piqued. "Edward said you were a writer, but he didn't tell me much else. What do you write?"

Edward groaned, leaning his head back onto the couch, facing the beamed ceiling above.

"He's rather embarrassed of his dear mother," she said, a teasing tone to her voice.

"Really?" I looked at him as he lifted his head to glance at his mother.

"Not embarrassed. Mortified." His head returned to its previous position. "But I'm very proud of you really," he added.

"Well, I have to say I'm desperate to know what would embarrass Mr. Cocksure over here." I waved my hands in his direction, and Esme and Carlisle both let out hearty laughs.

"I write romantic, historical novels," Esme said. Her face was glowing.

"Oh, they are the best type! Would I have heard of any?" I asked, honored to be talking to an actual writer. I always loved to lose myself in books but could never string a sentence together myself. Waffly was a word used in abundance by my English teachers. I carried on nibbling my shortbread while Edward let out another groan. This time, I gave him a dirty look and knocked his knee with mine. "Shush, Edward."

Esme's tinkling giggle turned into a downright dirty laugh. I was falling in love with her slowly, but it quickly turned into unadulterated adoration as she asked, "Have you heard of _The Secrets of the Velvet Lips_?"

I sucked in a breath so quickly, shortbread crumbs lodged in the back of my throat, and I erupted into a coughing fit. Edward slapped me on the back, and Esme saved the teacup from certain death at the hands of the hard floor, replacing it with a glass of water.

"Are you okay, darling?" she asked.

Once I'd got myself under control and thanked everyone, I smirked at Esme.

"Oh yes. I am familiar with that book now that you mention it," I said, giving her a wink.

She dissolved back into her rasping, contagious laugh. Soon we all followed, unable to stop, apart from Edward who stomped off to the kitchen claiming he needed some fresh air. The anguished look on his face made me laugh until tears were rolling down my cheeks.

I managed to coax Edward from the kitchen after crossing my fingers behind my back and promising him I wouldn't mention that his mother was Esmeralda Locks—acclaimed erotic fiction writer and creator of some of the most titillating historical bodice-ripping romps known to womankind—ever again.

Ro and I had found a dog-eared copy of _The Secrets of the Velvet Lips_ in my mom's bedside table when we were thirteen. We had hidden in the closet with a flashlight, reading out passages to each other, no real idea what thrusting swords and heaving bosoms meant, but knowing that if we got caught—we would be in big trouble. I could honestly credit that book with turning Ro into who she was today.

Once we'd returned to the living room, Esme began to tell us more about her writing and her soul mate Carlisle. I was absolutely fascinated by her, and their love was so palpable, I felt myself looking at Edward. My feelings for him rushed to burst from every cell in my body, intensifying at every smile, word, laugh, and touch.

"So, how did you two meet?" I asked Esme. All nervousness about meeting them had flown out of the window, and I felt comforted surrounded by his family.

"Carlisle was my teacher. He's a little older than me. I'm sure you've been wondering that already. I mean, I look at least twenty years his junior, right?" she quipped.

She was staggeringly beautiful, but Carlisle wasn't exactly hard on the eyes either. Another of my mom's tips for choosing the right man flashed through my mind. Look at his father because that's what you will wake up to in thirty years' time. I had absolutely no worries.

"Obviously, you don't look a day over twenty-nine," I added.

"I like her, Edward. She's a keeper," Esme informed him, matter-of-factly.

"I know." He squeezed my leg, sliding his hand between my knees and around under my thigh.

I felt my face warm at his response and his gesture, so I tried to turn the attention back to Esme. "So, was he your literature teacher?"

"No, I was her _history_ teacher," Carlisle interjected with a cantankerous, but playful, edge to his voice.

"Yes. Little did he know what I was using his superior knowledge of King, Queen, and Country for," Esme replied.

"I bet it was a nice surprise when you found out though." I crooked an eyebrow at Carlisle. I couldn't help myself—their banter was infectious.

"Bella, I am going to have to take you away soon. They're corrupting you," Edward warned.

"Who said I wasn't already corrupted?" I joked, earning yet another groan. "So, I understand why you chose Edward's name now." The pieces that made Edward who he was were slowly clicking into place.

"Yes, we argued for the whole pregnancy about that one. Carlisle liked Henry, but I'm a fan of Anne Boleyn _and_ people being allowed to keep their heads, so that was a no-no. I liked Richard, after Richard the Lion Heart, which would have suited him perfectly." She added the last bit for Carlisle's benefit. "But, he had a point—we didn't like the potential nicknames."

I bit my lip to keep the words inside.

I felt Edward's laugh shake my body. "I know exactly what you're thinking, Swan, and you can zip it."

"What?" I widened my eyes at him, but I couldn't prevent the smirk that flashed across my face. He was starting to know me too well.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a flash as they told us about all their travels and stories of Edward as a little boy—tales I'd stored away as potential blackmail material—but before long, it was time to leave. I was reluctant to go, but Edward seemed somewhat relieved. I got the feeling they enjoying making him squirm. Esme promised we could return whenever we wanted, and I planned on making it a regular occurrence.

Before we left, I'd insisted on helping Esme wash up. We stood side by side, her hands in the warm, soapy water while I was drying the china delicately as if it really was the Queen's very own.

We chatted about my parents and my mom's baking, Ro and Ali, and the fun we'd had at the boot camp despite our initial reluctance. Esme explained that Carlisle's early retirement and her writing allowed them to go where they pleased, and they had travelled all over the world since.

"I couldn't stay here while Edward was in Afghanistan," she explained as she gazed out of the window onto the well-kept cottage garden. "It felt wrong … but, he came home, and I thank my lucky stars every single day that he did." Her voice broke slightly, and she smiled at me, tears glistening in her eyes.

She wiped them away with the sleeve of her sweater, composing herself. "You know, I've not seen Edward look this happy in a long while," she said, her voice laced with love.

I felt the blush creep across my cheeks again.

"You're good for him. I really do mean that," she added, flicking the bubbles off her hands and drying them on a hand towel. She turned to face me, leaning her hip on the edge of the ceramic Belfast sink.

"Thank you," I replied, drying the last piece of crockery and placing it gently on the sideboard. "I've never met anyone quite like him." I smiled at the thought, remembering my first impressions had been less than complimentary—in spite of his good looks and obvious charm.

Esme pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tight. "No. Thank _you_," she whispered into my ear.

.

As we wound our way home out of the countryside, we listened to the music chart countdown on the radio—scoffing over some of the entries and singing along with others. Edward gave me permission to sing as long as it wasn't above the level of the radio—his generosity knew no bounds.

On more than one occasion, he flicked the volume off, and the silence filled with my caterwauling. He laughed so hard, I had to grab the wheel. Even _I_ had to admit it sounded awful.

Eventually, tired of the inane chatter of the DJ— it seemed crass jokes were preferred over actual music—we switched to another station, and the bluesy voice of Ray Charles filled the car.

Edward had had his hand on my thigh for the whole journey, only moving it to shift the gears. I'd noticed how tactile we were with each other, even in front of his parents. We constantly touched—a brush, a squeeze, a caress.

As I watched the sun lowering on the horizon, we fell into a comfortable silence. The day had turned out so much better than I'd anticipated. Every step I took further into Edward's life felt like a step in the right direction.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him, one hand on the steering wheel, as his fingers tapping a rhythm onto it. The lyrics of the song, a favorite of my father's, poured out into the quiet. _"Still in peaceful, dreams I see. The road leads back to you."_ Where did our road lead us? At the moment, all I could envisage was that we were rapidly heading straight toward a wall.

I must have let out a sigh, because Edward squeezed my knee and turned the volume down until it was just background music. "Is everything okay? You've gone quiet. I'm not used to it." He laughed, but it sounded forced.

"I think we need to talk about what we're doing," I replied, finding his hand and linking my fingers through his as I stared down at my lap.

"We're driving home, and then I'm going to take my time exploring every single part of your body." He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

"Edward," I admonished him, quietly.

My tone finally got through to him, and he slowed the car, pulling over into a rest stop. He killed the engine and the lights, turning toward me. "Bella, look at me."

I unfastened my seatbelt and twisted in my seat, tucking my foot underneath myself so I could lean toward him. Neither of us spoke. I lifted my fingers to his jaw, softly running my fingertips over the bristles. His eyebrows pulled into a slight frown as he watched me, never taking his eyes from my face.

"What are we doing?" I repeated, biting my bottom lip to stop the quiver that always appeared before the telltale sting of tears.

He leaned his face into my hand, closing his eyes, but when he opened them, the emotion I saw swirling there increased the drumming of my heart tenfold. He looked panicked, but he stayed quiet, pensive.

"We need to talk about what we're going to do when I have to leave," I said, withholding the declarations I wanted to make, nervous of speaking them out loud.

We spent a lot of time together but rarely had deep and meaningful conversations. If and when we did, they had been about our families and Riley. I was almost convinced he felt the same way. He conveyed it in his every touch and look, but I still had a slight tug in my chest that made me doubt him, so I bit my tongue.

He ran his hand through his hair, emitting a sigh of his own frustration at the situation, before leaning in and grasping my face in his hands, lightly brushing his lips against mine.

"Bella. I know we need to talk, and we will, but please just let me have this night with you, without all the worries and hows, whens, and whys. Please."

I had a visceral reaction to his words, immediately pulling back. He didn't feel the same. I sat back in the seat, a barrage of thoughts racing around my head at warp speed.

"Hey, what was that?" He leaned over and pulled me back to him. "Stop. Stop whatever it is that's causing you to look like that."

"Like what?" I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"Like somebody just broke your heart."

His words hit me like he'd thrown stones. Is that what this was?

"Bella. Look at me? Please?" he asked. His voice was laced with emotion that I couldn't pretend I didn't hear.

"Whatever happens with this whole fucked-up situation we've found ourselves in, I want you to know that I've never felt this way before. I've never had someone who I wanted to see the minute I wake up and the last moment before I sleep. Since Riley died, I felt like I had no one to talk to. No one to ring and tell about the latest bullshit at work. No one to rave to about an awesome movie. No one to complain about the lack of decent music on the radio with." He gestured to the car stereo.

"But since I've found you, I feel like I have that. I have someone again." He brushed his thumb against my cheek, and I realized that a tear had finally escaped. "I only wish that I could ring Riley and tell him about you."

His voice wavered on his last words, and though I tried to blink back the tears, they flowed freely down my face.

"I don't know how it's going to work out, but please, let's have one more night before we have to face it."

He ran his thumbs under my eyes, wiping my tears, and brushed his lips against mine. "Okay?"

I nodded. I couldn't bring myself to speak, sure that the only noise that would come out would be a sob. Instead, I pressed my lips against his and tangled my fingers into his hair, desperately pulling him to me as if it was the last chance I would have.

* * *

**AN:** Thank you for reading x

**Fic Recs this week:**

**Masen Rules** by **CaraNo** – a tattward drabble

**Hit By Destiny** by **ocdmess** – a favourite.


	19. Walking Lunge

**AN: **Hello to all my new followers. Thank you for all your reviews for the last chapter. It's time to buckle up!

Thanks to **Chocaholic123 **and** cutestkidsmom** for pre-reading and to** jcat5507** and **mcc101180** for beta'ing me with their lovely bubbles. Love you guys.

I mess around so all mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer: **SM owns Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**~o~o~o~ Walking Lunge ~o~o~o~**

* * *

A warm, heavy weight pressed down onto my body, waking me from my sleep. I smiled at the sensation, humming as I cracked open my eyes to see the morning light streaming into the room.

"Get up, you lazy slob." Ro blew a raspberry onto my neck and tickled my sides.

"Argh! Get off me." I was fully awake as I tried to wriggle out from under her and grab her hands at the same time—far too much stimulation for first thing in the morning.

She giggled, rolling off of me onto the empty side of the bed. "Come on. I'm making pancakes. Do you want some?"

"Where's Edward?" I sat up, pulling the covers to my chin, the cool air in the room spreading goose bumps over my arms.

"Who knows?" She shrugged. "Work probably. Emmett's gone out for a run."

"You were here last night?" A wave of embarrassment swept over me as I thought back to the events of last night. The second we'd gotten through the door, Edward had virtually ripped my clothes off. My cheeks heated at the thought of Ro and Emmett being subjected to the guttural moans, and other totally inappropriate noises, that had filled the apartment.

"No." Ro jumped up off the bed, heading to the door. "We just came by this morning to grab Emmett's work stuff for later._ I_ thought I'd come and see my roommate. I've almost forgotten what she looks like." Her voice trailed off as she headed into the kitchen. Shit. The kitchen.

I scrambled out of bed, catching my foot in the sheets and nearly breaking my ankle in my haste to get there. I pulled on my jeans and one of Edward's t-shirts and hobbled to survey the damage.

Ro gave me a funny look as I rushed in but quickly went back to searching the cupboards. "Where do they keep their mixing bowls?" she asked, crouching down and banging around in her unsuccessful hunt.

I scoped out the area, spotting my black bra on the floor by the breakfast bar. Edward, impatient in his haste to remove it, had pulled it down, releasing my breasts and exploring them with his hands, pinching and kneading my sensitive nipples until my body shook with anticipation. His mouth had sucked and teased the swollen peaks, grabbing and nipping with his teeth—his lust had been all-consuming.

Braless under his t-shirt now, I could tell they were swollen, sensitive to each brush of the fabric as I moved. I hooked the bra with my toe, sneakily shoving it underneath the bench.

"What the hell is this?" Ro asked, holding up what looked like a large plastic corkscrew.

"Erm…" I stalled, trying to concentrate on what she was asking me, finally recognizing the implement. "It's a pineapple slicer."

She scrunched up her nose. "A pineapple slicer. They don't have a bowl or a whisk, but they've got a pineapple slicer." She huffed and went back to banging around, muttering under her breath.

"Bella, don't just stand there." She waved her hand at me, her head stuck in another cupboard. "I got some strawberries and blueberries. Can you wash and cut them up? There has to be at least one knife somewhere."

Retrieving the fruit from the grocery bags on the floor, I rinsed them off, and finding a knife but no chopping board, I moved to the breakfast bar, hesitating as a heated flash of a memory swept through my body. I considered the reasons why I ought to wipe it down before I put food anywhere near it.

Ridding me of my clothes, he'd grabbed my hips, his fingers digging in deliciously, and his mouth was everywhere. He'd sucked in my tongue, trapping it with his teeth, groaning as I tugged on his hair. His passion and intensity had reacted against mine like a flame touching paper.

Placing me on the breakfast bar, tugging my hips to the edge, he'd splayed his hand across my chest. His lust-lidded eyes had darkened as they speared mine—I think I stopped breathing. He'd gently pushed me down, peppering kisses and bites I knew would leave marks all down my stomach and across my hips. Swiftly removing my panties, he'd growled, bending my knees and lifting them over his shoulders, yanking me close to him. A bite to the inside of my thigh had me crying out in pleasure. The cool surface under my bare back was a sharp contrast to the burning fire building between my thighs as he'd tasted, teased, and brought me to the edge until my body was wracked with shudders.

Yeah, I definitely had better wipe it down.

I grabbed the cloth from the sink, swiping it over the table, my mind more concerned with the next burning question—where the hell were my panties?

"What are you doing, B? I need the fruit in a minute. Stop dawdling." Ro slapped me on the ass with a wooden spoon she was using as a spatula.

"Hang on. I'm just clearing some space." I wiped the breakfast bar, peering all around for my elusive underwear to no avail. Maybe Edward moved them but didn't spot the bra. Wondering for the tenth time where he was, I threw the cloth back in the sink and began chopping the strawberries, sneaking a few into my mouth. The sweet flavor masked the sour morning breath still there.

"Can you pass me some milk? I think there's some in the fridge." Ro was cracking eggs into a bowl, rather badly, I might add. I bit my lip and made a mental note to beware of the shell-filled pancakes later on.

Heading to the fridge, I couldn't help the strangled laugh when I saw the distinctive shapes of Edward's handprint and my smaller one much lower down on its stainless steel door. I swung it open quickly so Ro wouldn't see, the cool blast of air calming the red heat building in my cheeks.

"You are being really weird this morning. What's up with you?" Ro narrowed her eyes at me, chewing on her bottom lip contemplatively.

"Nothing. I have no idea what you're talking about." I shoved the milk at her and refrained from explaining the clear evidence of last night, where Edward had slammed me up against the fridge and proceeded to fuck me until my legs could hardly support me. His hand braced against its door before he'd lifted me and pushed me up against the darkened full-length window. His hands held my hips, and his mouth bit my neck as he'd pushed us both over the edge, with the thrill that anyone could have been watching.

Nope. I'd keep that bit of information to myself; I smiled secretly, quickly swiping my hand over the prints to get rid of them.

The sizzling of the batter cooking and the smell of coffee hung in the air as I waited for Ro to serve up her feast.

"What are you gonna do today?" she asked, sliding a fairly good-looking pancake onto a plate and handing it to me.

I covered it in fruit and syrup, taking a tiny bite before I committed to a full mouthful. It wasn't bad. "I'm not sure. Studying and then I guess something with Edward. Why, what are you doing?"

She pulled up a stool next me and tucked into her own pancake. "We're going shopping. I need some new boots. Do you want to come?"

"Who's going?" I asked, thanking the Lord she was already going with someone.

"Emmett," she answered with her mouth full.

I laughed, shaking my head at her. "Ro, you really have him wrapped around your pretty little finger." I covertly fished a bit of eggshell from my mouth, leaving it on the plate.

"Says, you. So, what did you two do last night? How was meeting the parents?"

"Really good, Ro. Oh my God—you'll never guess what."

I spent the next half an hour filling her in on Esme and making her pinky swear she wouldn't say a word. After squealing, flailing, and virtually crying tears of excitement, she agreed she would at least try and keep quiet. I could see that was the best I was going to get from her.

She offered to wash up while I got showered, but as I was walking back toward the bathroom, she screeched loudly. "Bella Swan."

Oh shit. She'd found the missing panties. I sheepishly headed back to the kitchen, where the morning sun had moved and was shining through the window. Unfortunately for me, the sun was highlighting the glaringly obvious prints of my hands, Edward's hands, and my breasts on the glass for everyone to see.

.

.

Eventually, Emmett had returned and swept Ro into his room, signaling it was time for me to go home. Edward _had_ left me a note on his pillow. It'd been crumbled under Ro when she'd woken me, and it had ended up under the covers. In his scrawled handwriting, he explained he'd had to go into work early and he would call me later.

Once I returned to the dorms, I spent most of the morning reading, purposefully ignoring the huge mound of coursework that was stacked up on my desk. I'd texted Edward but had gotten no response. I thought back to our conversation the night before. His words still caused a flutter in my chest, and the memories of his insatiable lust coiled warmth low in my stomach, but reluctant as we were about it—we had to talk.

I felt like there was a huge flashing sign, akin to those along Broadway, hanging over our heads. It read, "What are you going to do?" with arrows pointing to the US and England. Would he come with me? Could I stay here? The thought of living so far away from my family caused a stab of panic. Could he live so far away from his family? He seemed so close to them, and he'd already been apart for more than four years. Could I ask him to leave them again?

Dragging myself off my bed, where all I'd achieved was a great deal of wallowing, I decided to tidy our room. Ro's side looked like a bomb had detonated in her wardrobe, the casualties strewn across the floor and her bed. I didn't bother to put it away. I just collected it up and piled it on her bed, pausing to look at the photos of us that she'd tacked onto her wall.

There was a picture of us, with uneven bangs that our moms had hacked into our hair and the sticky residue of strawberry popsicles around our mouths, holding hands at the park. Another of us at our prom, our dates forgotten, as we slow danced around the floor together, laughter creasing our faces, mouths wide with glee. Could I imagine not being able to see her everyday? No. Could I imagine not seeing Edward every day? The thought of it made my insides turn to knots.

It was a Catch-22 situation but one that we needed to stop ignoring. For whatever reason, Fate had decided that I should meet Edward, and I needed to work out why. The truth of the matter was that I couldn't imagine him not in my life. I needed to decide not only what I really wanted but, more importantly, what it was that I needed.

My initial stubborn refusal to even entertain the idea that I could stay in England wasn't as sturdy as I'd first thought. Meeting Esme and Carlisle had only softened it more.

I scrunched my eyes in frustration but decided I needed to take my mind off the whole situation until I could see Edward. I flicked the stereo on, and Ro's trusty power ballad mix blared Bonnie Tyler into the room. I picked up my phone, checking the screen for messages—none. Dropping it back onto the bed, I let out a huff of annoyance that I'd still not heard from him, but looking at the clock showed that only three hours had passed. I was being ridiculous. I set my mind to the task ahead—my closet.

I got down on my hands and knees and pulled all of my clothes and shoes out into a big pile.

.

.

By the time Ro returned that evening, everything was neatly folded, color coordinated, and organized by type. I'd resorted to hiding my phone from myself, annoyed with my constant urge to check. It was currently wedged between JD Salinger and Joseph Heller on my bookshelf. I could be a little dramatic sometimes.

"Hey, B, how ya doing?" She bustled through the door, laden with shopping bags, dumping them on top of the already precarious mountain of crap on her bed.

"I'm good. Check out my magnificent closet!" I waved my arm at it.

"What's wrong?" She creased her forehead in concern.

"What do you mean 'what's wrong'? I just had some spare time, so I did some organizing." I shut the closet door, trying not to look at my bookshelf, and walked over, peeking into her bags.

"I mean, what's up? You're telling me you spent all day organizing your clothes, so I'm asking you what's wrong?" She slapped my hand away from the bags and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Ro, seriously. Nothing. I was just putting off my work." I pointed to the pile of books on my desk, cringing at the thought of all the studying I had to do.

"I don't believe you, but I'll let it drop—for now." She headed over to my uncluttered bed and flopped down, her eyes closing as she kicked her shoes off.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about. I just needed something to pass the time." I shrugged, the urge to check my phone returning like an itch.

"That's great, B. When you fly back home because you've flunked, at least you can tell your mom and dad your closet was as perfect as a Barney's display." She rolled over onto her side to look at me, supporting her head on her hand.

"Why are you being so mean?" I asked, getting irritated by her questions.

"I'm not. I can just tell something's wrong. Where's Edward?"

I shrugged, heading to my desk and pulling out the chair. I flicked to a page in my textbook. "Don't know. Probably at work." I clicked my pen and began to write notes, hoping my turned back would be enough to stop her inquisition.

I heard her get up from the bed and then felt her arms wrap around my neck. She rested her chin on my shoulder. "Emmett said he's been really snowed under with work at the moment. I'll bet you anything he'll be around soon."

I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry, before I answered, "I know, Ro, that's not what I'm worrying about." I patted her arm, leaning my head against hers. "I promise."

I wasn't sure why I lied. Perhaps voicing my worry would make it real. In all the time we'd been together, Edward had never failed to reply, never failed to call, and _never_ left me in the morning without at least waking me for a kiss.

The intense conversation of the previous night was at the forefront of my mind. I'd run through it over and over and over again. He'd wanted a "last night" before we talked, and his actions as he'd pulled me to him in his apartment had been frantic, desperate. His hands and lips had been everywhere at once, and it was one of the most intense and mind-blowing nights we'd shared together. I mulled over the reasons for his request, which had only induced slivers of panic to settle in my chest. I ran through his usual routines, calculating what his whereabouts could be, trying to focus on something else to tamp down the feeling that something was off.

Ro managed to distract me with a movie and a big bowl of popcorn and helped me to subdue the urges to check my phone. I wouldn't put it past her to do something extreme like throw it off the balcony. She was one for drastic measures.

Eventually, she'd fallen asleep with her head in my lap, and I'd reached up to grab my phone, hazarding a glance at the screen. It lit up the darkened room, but there was nothing waiting for me. The cold edge of worry that had been gnawing in my stomach felt like it was climbing up into my throat, but I pushed it back down. He must have a reason. I laughed at myself quietly. Of course there would be a sensible explanation, and I was going to feel stupid if Edward saw how pathetic I was being.

As my mind talked me out of my funk, my heart dialed his number. It went straight to voicemail.

Wriggling out from under Ro, I covered her with my blanket. She mumbled something in her sleep as I headed to her bed and quietly moved everything onto the floor. Grabbing a hoodie, Edward's hoodie, I pulled it over my head and crept out into the hallway so as not to wake her. It was past midnight, so the dorms were quiet for the most part, people either in bed or still out on the town.

I sat down on the stairs, tucking my knees under the hoodie. The familiar smell of his cologne surrounded me. I stared at my phone for a few minutes, running scenarios through my head and all the potential responses I could think of. Part of me knew I was overreacting; the other part of me had put enough puzzle pieces together to be so calm. His words. His actions. His absence.

Resting my head on my knees, I decided to at least try one more time to leave a message. Before I could change my mind, the phone was at my ear, but there was only the eerie silence that preceded the click of the voicemail. An automated message told me to speak after the beep.

My voice croaked as I spoke quietly, "Hey. It's me … Bella. I … erm … I'm just going to sleep, and I wanted to say goodnight. So … goodnight, Edward." A quiet laugh escaped. "I hope you're okay." I disconnected before I could say any more.

Climbing into Ro's bed, I pulled the covers up, chastising myself for being ridiculous, but I couldn't shift the uneasy feeling that settled in my chest. Perhaps he'd made the decision easy for me and was walking away, and if that was the case, how could he do it so easily when the thought alone made me forget to breathe?

.

After a restless night, I woke to the realization of Edward's absence, causing my heart to drop to my stomach; but as I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and saw the little flashing message, it shot back up into my throat. Edward.

**Hey, beautiful. Sorry I'm just getting back to you now. I've had a crazy day. Wish you were here with me. E x**

Relief washed over me, but it was tainted with annoyance with myself for getting so worked up, and a little was still directed at Edward. I dialed his number, but it rang out, the voicemail click sounding again. Sighing, I dragged myself out of bed, determined to stop being a wimp, and walked over to Ro who was still fast asleep.

"Wake up, sleepy head." I gently shook her arm.

"Mmmm, no," she slurred, turning away from me and pulling the pillow over her head.

"I'm going to the library." I kicked myself for wasting yesterday wallowing _and_ being borderline obsessive compulsive.

"Okay. See ya." Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

After dressing and showering, I sent Edward a text to tell him where I was heading, hoping he might join me since he apparently had so much work to do. I spent all day in the library and managed to get a whole essay done, despite the fact that _again_ I'd not heard from him. My uneasy feelings had slowly taken on the red tint of anger. Anger was somehow easier to cope with than worry.

Ro and Ali were both busy with their other halves, so I trudged home on my own. I was fuming at Edward for his inability to send a simple, courteous text. I could have asked Ro to fish for his whereabouts from Emmett, but my anger had kicked in, and my pride was waving its flag too, so I battened down the hatches and pushed him out of my mind.

That evening, agitation writhed through my body, and I found myself changing into my running gear, shoving my feet into my sneakers, and blasting my rock mix through my earphones. I pounded through the darkened streets that were lit only by street lamps.

Running always allowed me to get things out of my system, and as my feet slapped onto the tarmac and my calves burned, I focused only on my breathing and the music thumping in my ears. That was why I was surprised when I found myself running past the park where the boot camps were held.

I slowed down, spotting the groups in the field, barely lit up in the moonlight. Slowing to a walk, I pulled my earphones out and headed to the tree line that edged the grassy area. I rested my back onto the rough bark of the trunk while I caught my breath. I was invisible in the dark shadows.

My eyes searched out the instructors. They were easy to spot, being the only ones not throwing themselves on the ground at various intervals. I knew Edward's silhouette by heart from so many nights spent ogling him during my own boot camps. I looked for him—he wasn't there. Disappointment coursed through me; although, I wasn't sure what I was planning to do if he had been there. "Hi, Edward, it's just me, stalking you." I wasn't sure that would go down well.

I thought I could make out Jasper, but looking at the sizes of the other instructors, I could tell Emmett wasn't there, his hulking shape absent as well as Edward's. I turned and jogged toward home. The thoughts I'd been trying so hard to stop were slamming into my mind at a rate of knots.

I tried calling him again before I went to bed—his phone was turned off.

I went to bed that night knowing in my heart that something wasn't right.

The next morning the screen of my phone showed a text from Ro telling me she was going to the library if I wanted to join her _and_ a missed call from Edward. I checked the time of the call—2:12AM. He hadn't left a voicemail; all I heard was a couple seconds of rustling. The fact he'd called did nothing to lessen the hollowed-out feeling in my chest. I decided I couldn't carry on worrying anymore, so I pulled on my big girl panties and made my way over to Edward and Emmett's place.

Whatever was going on with Edward, I deserved to know. Perhaps it had nothing to do with me, or perhaps it had everything to do with me, but whatever it was, I needed to understand.

After unsuccessfully buzzing their apartment at the main door, I struck lucky when a neighbor agreed to let me in. Heading down the hallway to their door, I felt like I was walking the Green Mile. My heart beat furiously in my chest, pumped by my anger and an ominous feeling that crawled over my skin. The possibility of finding him with another woman slammed into my conscious, halting my footsteps as my breath caught in my throat.

It was the first time that thought had entered my mind. Standing a few feet from his door, all the cocky, flirtatious, and arrogant things he'd ever said to me were at the forefront of my mind, and I momentarily questioned my trust in him. Why wouldn't he have a string of women lined up? I would be old news soon, and he'd need others to take my place. I shook my head as if it would shake the nasty thoughts away. I knew that wasn't the Edward I'd fallen for. At least, I hoped with all my heart.

I knocked and pressed the buzzer. Resting my forehead against the cool, wooden door, my ears strained for noise, but there was none. Frustrated, I grabbed my phone and dialed his number and Emmett's. No answer on either.

I kicked the door in my annoyance. I hated feeling like this; it was ridiculous and quite frankly unfair. Whatever was going on with him, pushing me away was not the answer.

Running out of options, I decided to find Ro. The thought of her made me feel homesick, and I considered calling my mom but decided against it. It would only take one second for her to sense something was wrong.

No matter what was going on, part of me didn't want my parents to think badly of Edward, which was exactly what would happen if I called them. I headed down the stairs and back out into the crisp morning air, pulling my coat around me as I headed toward the university.

I'd just about talked myself out of my panic, the fresh air and sunshine boosting my endorphins, when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I nearly flipped it onto the sidewalk in my haste to answer it, desperate for Edward's number to flash on the screen. The stinging tears of frustration and hurt made me scrunch my eyes when I saw it was a private number. Hanging on to the hope it might be him calling from elsewhere, I answered it. A familiar deep voice came down the line.

"Is this Bella Swan?"

Guessing who it was but confused by the formality of his address, I responded, "Yes. Who is this?"

"It's Dr. Black."

"I thought it was you. How did you get my number?" I asked rather abruptly. I definitely didn't give it to him.

"Bella," he repeated my name, and his tone sent a shiver of unease skipping down my spine.

"This isn't you calling me to ask me out for a coffee, is it?" I tried to laugh, but it was strangled.

"No, it's not." He paused, and the sound of the cars rushing past me and the distant chatter of other pedestrians seemed to disappear. "You need to come to the hospital."

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**~o~o~o~o~o~o~**

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**AN:** Okay, I know that was an evil cliffie, but you trust me, right?

Thanks for reading, and have a lovely weekend xoxo

**Fic Rec's**

**Glycerine** by **Livie79** – Oh my god, this Edward. Grrrr.

**Corporate Affairs** by **Chocaholic123** – Fantastic story that completed this week. I'm sad to see the end of Unionward.

**Parachute** by **KitsuShel** – just brilliant.

Come over to FB and join the **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction **group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	20. Dumbbell Split

**AN: **Thank you for all your reviews for the last chapter. Let's take a deep breath for this one okay? Katie Boberg, Grindgirl and Alice Vampire … you called it!

Love to **Chocaholic123, cutestkidsmom** and **Katie Boberg** for pre-reading and to** jcat5507** and **mcc101180** for beta'ing. I mess around so all mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer: **SM owns Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.

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**~o~o~o~o~ Dumbbell Split ~o~o~o~o~**

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I flagged down the next cab I saw, waving frantically in my haste to get to the hospital. Jake's words were rolling around my mind on a loop. "It's Rosalie. She's okay, but she needs you."

He couldn't tell me any more, doctor-patient confidentially frustratingly sealing his lips, but his tone had been reassuring. I clung onto that as the journey stretched out for what seemed to be an age, and I unfairly snapped at the driver on numerous occasions. He maintained a calm, laid-back composure akin to a lazy tour around the local sights—I was sure he was doing it on purpose. I'd considered dramatizing my situation. Perhaps upgrading to an emergency—a baby on the way, a life on the line—but I didn't want to tempt fate, so I resorted to emitting huffs at every red light and tutting when he touched the accelerator with a gentle caress.

"We'll not get there before we get there," he reminded me for the seven thousandth time as I mouthed along to his words with a scowl. What did that even mean?

I dialed Edward again, but it went straight to voicemail. My worry for Ro was preceding my worry for Edward at the moment, so I switched to try Emmett's number. It was, frustratingly, busy.

Eventually, we pulled up at the accident and emergency bay. I flung some bills at the driver, telling him to keep the change, and ran through the automatic doors. Searching for somebody who could help, my eyes landed on a lady clad in an ugly blue and white patterned shirt. I hoped for her sake that it was mandatory uniform and not some crazy fashion choice. Making my way over, I noticed the waiting area was busy; only a few pale green plastic seats were vacant. A large plasma screen television hung on the wall with the news channels broadcasting.

I hated the smell of hospitals; the cleaning fluids mixed with cloying air fresheners always made me want to gag.

"Excuse me." I leaned my elbows on the pale blue desk, awaiting a response. It wasn't forthcoming, so I cleared my throat and tried again, raising my voice a little. "Excuse me."

She wearily raised her head, and her eyes flicked over me before she returned to her task and handed me a clipboard. "Fill it in, please, and we'll call your name," she droned.

I scanned the forms, shaking my head. "Sorry. I'm not here for me. I've come to see someone who was admitted. Rosalie Hale?"

She emitted a sigh as if I'd just given her the most disappointing news she'd heard all week. Her fingers clacked over the computer keyboard, and she picked up the phone, murmuring into the receiver, too low for me to make out her words. I held back the snark about customer service, not wanting to give her any more cause to be unhelpful.

"Take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly." She waved toward the waiting room.

"Thank you for your help." I injected as much enthusiasm as I could, hoping the irony wouldn't be lost, and went to find an empty seat.

Making my decision based on who looked the least likely to pass on their germs to me, I took a seat between a little old lady, clutching on to her handbag fiercely, and a young boy in a grubby soccer uniform who was cradling his arm.

I fished my phone out and tried Edward again. I hadn't even put my phone to my ear when Mrs. Personality of the Year zoned in on me with her beady eyes and shouted, "No mobile calls in the hospital." Everyone turned to look at me with disgust, as if my one phone call might cause the whole of the hospital's electrical system to fail. Jesus Christ.

I felt the embarrassment rush over my face in a heat wave as I slipped it back into my bag, fixing my eyes on the television, giving the impression I was utterly absorbed in a local news story about the daring rescue of a squirrel stuck in a drainpipe.

A gentleman, who clearly had some awful airborne illness, was spluttering over everyone and everything, and I'd taken to holding my breath for the longest time possible to avoid contamination. After around ten minutes had passed, ten minutes of near death from lack of oxygen, a nurse called my name. I felt slightly woozy as I stood and followed her down the corridor. She had a kind, heart shaped face, and she reassured me that Ro was fine.

But as we entered her small room, Ro looked anything but fine. She was curled up in a fetal position, one side of her face slightly swollen and the edge of her eye an angry red.

"Ro." I alerted her to my presence, and as she turned toward me, her face immediately crumpled as she burst into sobs.

"Hey. Hey." I rushed to her side, taking her hand and pulling her to me. She rested her face in the crook of my neck as shudders wracked her body. Her tears were dripping onto my skin as I rocked her, and various bad scenarios barreled through my mind, each one worst than the last. I brushed her hair from where it was sticking to her flushed, damp skin and tucked it behind her ear while I whispered words of comfort. I had no idea what I was comforting, and it wasn't sitting well with me.

I stared at the doorway, waiting for someone to come and tell me what the hell had happened, but nobody came. Considering pressing the alarm button to call the nurse, I reached over Ro, but she hiccupped a breath and stuttered, "I'm okay."

"Do you want me to get someone?" I made to move back, but she clung onto my coat, shaking her head.

"No. I'm okay now that you're here." Her voice was raspy, but quiet— childlike.

"What happened?" I readied myself for her answer, fearing the worse. My protective instincts were running on overdrive.

Ro sniffled and wiped the tear tracks from under her eyes. "I fainted."

"You fainted? What happened to your face?" Relief washed over me, extinguishing the ugly thoughts I'd concocted.

"I banged it on the table." She raised her fingers, gently probing the swelling around her eye. "Does it look awful?"

"No. It's red, and you might end up with a black eye, but I guess it could have been worse. You could have taken your eye out or something." I tried to show the silver lining to her unfortunate mishap.

She didn't seem to find my positive attitude helpful. She lay back and covered her face with her hands as she began to sob again.

"Hey, Ro, you're worrying me here. What's happened?" I tugged her hands away from her face. The tears pooling in her blue eyes triggered a prickling sensation in my own.

Ro looked at me, bereft, as she bit her bottom lip, stopping the quivers. She closed her eyes, and big fat tears rolled down her cheeks, dripping off her chin onto the white hospital gown she wore. I squeezed her hand, rubbing the back of it with my thumb. My own panic was rising like a high tide.

"B, I … had some tests done to see why I fainted." She let out a long breath, preparing herself for the bomb she was undoubtedly going to drop. I fixed my eyes on the plastic hospital identification bracelet that circled her thin wrist. Dread was thick and heavy like tar in my stomach. "They've told me I'm pregnant."

The word ricocheted around the room and inside my head while I tried to string the syllables together to understand what she was saying.

"Pregnant." I tested the word on my tongue in disbelief, as if saying it out loud would make it any clearer.

"Yes. Pregnant. About eight weeks." Her voice was tiny and hollow—frightened. That snapped me out of my inaction, and I pulled her to me, hugging her tightly as a fresh round of her tears dampened my shoulder and mine dampened hers. Homesickness wrapped around me like a heavy coat. I could only imagine how much Ro needed her mom. Fuck.

"Are they sure?" I asked, knowing it wasn't the most helpful question.

She nodded and sat back, leaning against the pillows and pulling her knees, that were covered with the white bed sheets, up to her chest. "Yep."

"But wouldn't you have known?" I was going to have to clamp my mouth together soon. I knew I was the one who had to be there for her, but my mind was in meltdown with a million unanswered questions.

"Not necessarily. You know I'm on the pill, so I wouldn't have noticed missed periods and the weight … " She shrugged. "I was blaming Emmett. He eats like a horse, and always tempts me with stuff. Doc thinks it's from when I was sick over Christmas … I guess I was stupid, huh?" She rested her forehead onto her knees.

That was one of the words on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it back. Ro had resorted to taking the pill continuously after suffering from horrendous cramps, so I could understand her missing that sign, but the sickness over Christmas was something I thought she'd be aware of. But, there was no use getting into the blame game now. I rubbed my hands on my face, wondering what to do next. "Don't talk like that, Ro. It could happen to anyone."

"You are such a bad liar." Her head lifted a little, and I could see the beginnings of a smile pulling at the corners of her eyes.

"Damn. I really need to work on that." I perched on the edge of the bed, twisting to face her. "Have you called Emmett?"

"I asked Dr. Black to. He's been really kind. Have you spoken to him or Edward?" The mention of his name triggered an unpleasant flutter in my stomach, but whatever was going on in his head, I had something a lot bigger to think about now. He could wait.

"No. I tried to call, but his line was busy. Probably on the phone with the doc."

"Doctor Dishy." Ro emitted a small giggle that was muffled by her knees, making me smile.

"Doctor Delicious," I added, raising a challenging eyebrow at her, wanting to see her smile.

"Doctor Delectable." She grinned at me, fanning her face exaggeratedly.

"Doctor Doable." A burst of laughter came out, louder than I'd expected, and I slapped my hand over my mouth to contain it, setting Ro off into louder giggles.

"Doctor Don't Even Waste My Time, Just Take My Clothes Off." She clung onto my arm, and laughter echoed around the room and, no doubt, down the hallways.

"Doctor Do Me Now." I snorted, failing to keep my irrational reactions inside. I was doubled over Ro's bed as my own giggles took over.

"Doctor Damn That Fine Ass." How we'd ended up in this ridiculous state at below-par jokes I didn't know, but it felt good. Even if Ro and possibly me, too, were suffering from shock.

A throat cleared from the doorway and abruptly halted our madness. Emmett was leaning against the doorframe in his boot camp gear, his massive arms folded across his broad chest and a bemused expression on his face.

"What do we have here then?" He grinned at Ro, who held both hands over her mouth. His expression turned to concern when he saw her swollen eye.

As if a switch was flipped, her tears of laughter turned back into real tears of worry, shock, fright? I got the impression she was experiencing a kaleidoscope of emotions.

"Ro, I'll just be outside, okay?" I patted her knee, and she nodded in response. Emmett shot around to her and lifted her into his arms, cradling her and whispering into her ear. He nodded and gave me a smile that was fraught with worry as I left the room, closing the door behind me.

Considering it was only lunchtime, I felt so tired. I took out my cell, brushing my thumb over the screen, wondering whether I should call home. Deciding that was for Ro to decide, I shoved it back into my bag and wearily made my way to a row of four blue plastic chairs alongside a vending machine.

I had doubts that the gnawing in my stomach had anything to do with hunger but hoped a chocolate bar would take the edge off. Rooting around in my bag for change, I found everything but what I was looking for—things that I thought I'd lost months ago, things I didn't even know I had.

I finally struck gold, finding a £1 coin in one of the zipped pockets. I slotted the money into the vending machine, my eyes bigger than my stomach, and I weighed up my options. I decided that today, calories didn't exist. It was one of the laws of the universe. The coin frustratingly dropped straight through and out again. I tried another three times before giving the machine a swift kick—increasing the tally of inanimate objects to feel my frustration to two.

"Hey, what did it do to you?" A deep voice came from behind me. I spun around to see Doctor Dishy, clipboard in hand and stethoscope around his neck, in pale green scrubs.

"Hey, Jake. It won't take my money." I shoved the coin in again, the jangling as it fell into the change opening, again. I huffed my annoyance.

"Here, let me have a go?" He tucked his clipboard under his arm and bent down to retrieve the coin, repeating the process with the same result. "Huh, usually it just needs a gentle touch." He looked perplexed but then put my coin in his mouth and bit down hard.

I screwed my nose up at the thought of having a coin, passed around millions of hands, and god knows where else, in your mouth.

He held the coin up for me to see. His teeth marks visible in the dull gold. "It's fake."

"Fake. Oh great." I flapped my hands against my sides in frustration. "That was my only one."

He cocked his head at me and slowly raised his hand, the reflection of the overhead lights glinting in his deep brown eyes as he smirked. His fingers brushed passed my ear, ticking as he brought them back in front of my face, a shiny silver coin spinning over his fingers. "What about this one?"

His smile was infectious, and I had to laugh at his trick.

"Oh, I forgot I put that there," I joked as he dropped it into my hand. "How did you do that?"

He tapped the side of his nose. "A magician never reveals his secrets."

"A magician _and_ a doctor. I'm impressed."

"I'm only a doctor in my spare time." He winked, his voice dropped to a whisper. "At least that's what I tell the kids. So keep it a secret."

"The kids?"

"On the pediatric ward. I always have a few tricks up my sleeve for them." He shrugged, but it was an admission that made me see him in a totally different light—kind, caring, and all sorts of adorable.

"I've got it. I won't say a word. Thank you for the money, and thank you for calling me earlier. I'm sorry I was a bit short with you. I was having a bad day." I laughed at the thought. My worries over the past few days had paled in significance after these latest developments.

"No worries. I'll be popping in to see her in an hour or so before my shift ends. She's doing okay." He'd slipped into doctor mode, and it was soothing and reassuring.

"I know it's just a big shock for her." I rolled the warm coin in my hand. "Are you sure it's okay to give me this money?"

"Yep. Help yourself, but you have to share." He grinned.

"So there's conditions to these magic tricks?" I joked, waving my hand at the machine. "Anything in particular?"

"Nope, you can choose."

I selected some chocolate and turned to him as I waited for it to fall. "You can have a finger of my Twix."

He barked a laugh, shaking his head at me. "I really hope that was a euphemism."

It took me a second to realize, and when I did I was mortified, the color rising on my cheeks as I retrieved the chocolate bar, but the wry grin that tugged at his lips spurred me on. "At least I didn't choose a KitKat."

His laugh rumbled out of his chest as he took the chocolate. "Next time." His smile lit up his handsome face, but there was something behind it, and his eyes danced over my lips for a fraction too long.

"Anyway, I'd better get back to see Ro. It's all gone very quiet in there." I lifted my bag on to my shoulder. "See you soon, Jake, and thanks for everything."

"Anytime." He flashed me another winning smile and headed down the corridor.

He was going to make some lucky girl very, very happy. Unfortunately, I knew that it wasn't going to be me. My heart was already well on its way to belonging to someone. Someone who I sincerely hoped wasn't going to trample on it.

I sighed, pushing thoughts of Edward's whereabouts out of my mind and heading back down the corridor to Ro's room.

As I reached for the handle, another voice called out my name. It was a voice that I'd been desperate to hear for the past few days and one that invaded every inch of my body with a thrill. The thrill this time was short-lived.

I spun around to see Edward walking toward me, the double doors still swinging behind him.

I didn't utter a sound as he made his way over—my anger at his absence was dulled by relief that he was finally in front of me. My relief quickly flipped on its head and morphed into worry when I took in his rumpled appearance.

His t-shirt was creased and looked like it needed a good ironing, and his baseball cap was still firmly attached to his head. But that wasn't what shocked me. The scruff that covered his face and the dark bruising around his eyes, accentuated by the pale, ashen skin of his face, threw my panic onto another level and my anger toward him deflated like an untied balloon.

Edward wrapped me in his arms, and I relished the feel of him as I grasped onto the front of his t-shirt. His familiar smell was there, but it was mixed with the stale smell of alcohol and sweat. I pushed him back and looked up at him. His usually bright eyes were dull, tired and, as I studied him, cautious.

Questions and anger bubbled under my skin again. "Where have you been?"

He took his cap off and ran his fingers through his hair. His hand was not steady, and I realized with horror that he was still drunk. What the fuck was going on?

"Bella." His voice was hoarse, and he was avoiding looking me in the eyes. Scrunching his eyes shut, he reached for my hand. "I'm sorry," he rasped.

I pulled out of his grasp; every nerve ending in my body was tingling with anger and hurt. He didn't call me because he was out drinking? I shook my head. I couldn't understand what the hell was happening, and I couldn't find the words to ask. It was too much. The day had already been too much.

"Bella. Please." He reached again, and the utter desperation in his face almost made me step back into his warm embrace. And I wanted to more than anything. I teetered on the balls of my feet. My emotions were clattering all over the place, but anger was winning out and clawing its way to the top.

Conscious of the drama that Ro and Emmett had to deal with, I pulled myself together. "Not now, Edward. Ro and Emmett. We need to …"

The words fell from my mouth and the blood drained from my body when I saw, over Edward's shoulder through the glass of the door, a flash of hair and the profile of a face. A face that I would never ever have expected to see here. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears and watched as Edward turned to look behind him. His reaction caused the flimsy house of cards I'd built with my hopes to come crashing down around me.

Rage bubbled in my veins, and tension stretched my nerves to their limit.

"Bella, please let me explain." He grabbed my wrist.

Anger exploded through my body from his touch, red-hot heat stole my breath, and I raised my eyes to meet his. Whatever he saw in them was enough. He dropped my hand and stepped aside. I dug down deep to find the willpower to walk away from him. The few steps to Ro's room felt like miles, but I had to keep myself together, even if I wanted to fall apart at the seams. As I pushed down the handle, I allowed myself one last glance back at Edward who had his hand thrust into his hair. His face looked like I felt inside—distraught.

I couldn't bear to look at him anymore and slipped inside Ro's room, letting the door slowly shut after me.

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**~o~o~o~o~o~o~**

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**AN:** Still with me?! Remember I'm a HEA kinda girl!

Thanks for reading, and have a lovely weekend xoxo

**Fic Rec's**

**Awake in the Infinite Cold **by** Quothme – **heart wrenching and beautifully written. Based on one of my favourite books. I won't say which; I'll just let you read the story.

Come over to FB and join the **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction **group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	21. Jerk Balance

AN: There is a little angst warning on this chapter. I know a few reviews mentioned that this fic is supposed to be humor/romance, but FFn only lets you have two genres. If I could choose three I would have added—a little bit of angst and absolutely NO cheating! I hope that puts your minds at ease. Muddy Smugward would never do that!

Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter.

Love to **Chocaholic123**, **cutestkidsmom **and **Katie Boberg** for prereading about 7,000 times and for **jcat5507** and **mcc101180** for beta'ing me with bubbles.

SM owns Twilight

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**~o~o~o~ Jerk Balance ~o~o~o~**

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Stepping into Ro's room, I went from one vortex of swirling emotions straight into another. Somehow, Emmett had managed to fit his hulking body alongside Ro's. She was curled up against him, her head resting on his chest, and his huge, black army boots hung over the end of the bed.

He raised his eyes at me in question, and I forced a smile. My emotions must have been written all over my face.

"Is she asleep?" I whispered, creeping to the side of the bed and taking a seat in the burnt-orange vinyl armchair. My legs felt wobbly, and the comfort of sitting down was a relief.

Emmett leaned down, gently pressing a kiss into her hair. "Yeah. She's exhausted." He looked tired himself.

"How are you doing?" I asked, guessing from their positions that they'd talked it through, and considering the magnitude of their news, they looked okay.

Emmett scuffed his hand along his jaw. "I don't know. Shocked. Excited. Scared. How are you meant to feel in a situation like this?"

I blew out a puff of air, tracing the wood grain on the arms of the chair with my fingertip. "I have no idea."

"I guess we've got a lot to talk about." He took Ro's hand in his, totally covering hers.

"This changes everything for you two. I wouldn't know where to begin," I admitted, offering him a sincere smile.

"I love her." He raised one shoulder. "And, for some crazy reason, she seems to love me back. So that's the best starting point we could ever hope for in this situation. Everything else is just details."

His words melted me. His reasoning, so black and white, was refreshing in comparison to the tumultuous storm that was raging in my head. Perhaps I'd been overthinking the whole situation with Edward—up until whatever the clusterfuck was that I now found myself in with him. That was a whole different ball game.

Tears stung at my eyes, and I chewed on the inside of my lip to stop the inevitable breakdown I could feel coming. "I'm happy for you guys. Even if this is a little bit out of the blue," I joked, but my voice sounded hollow in my ears. I cleared my throat, trying to rid the husk in my voice. "Can I get you anything?"

"I wouldn't mind a coffee, or even better, a hot chocolate?" he asked, reaching into a pocket in the leg of his camos and passing me some money.

I accepted the money, gratefully, remembering I had none after I'd already opened my mouth. "Thanks. I would offer, but I think I got screwed over by the taxi driver on the way here."

Emmett chuckled. "No problem. You can buy me a drink later on. To wet the baby's head or whatever it is you Americans would say."

"Deal." I smiled and stood, leaving my bag on the chair, and slowly opened the door, hoping that Edward and his whore had gone. I peeked out, and seeing that the corridor was empty, I headed to find the cafeteria.

I twisted and turned down numerous corridors, the cream linoleum floor squeaking under foot. It was a maze. How they expected anyone to get anywhere was beyond me. The promising sound of chatter and smells of freshly baked bread and coffee, led me to the small eating area. I wove between the tables and chairs, fixing my eyes on the menus above the serving station to choose my order.

I joined the back of the queue, clutching Emmett's money in my palm. The small space was filled with a mix of people—patients in the ubiquitous hospital uniform of pajamas and dressing gowns, weary visitors, and nurses and doctors, catching a quick break from their hectic day. Nobody looked particularly happy. My eyes fell upon one person who had his head clutched in his hands as he alternated between rubbing his temples and picking at a paper coffee cup, that he'd reduced to shreds.

There suddenly wasn't enough air in the room. I gasped, trying to suck it in, my skin pricking all over with a cold sweat. Turning abruptly, I bashed into the woman behind me. I grabbed her arm to steady her and babbled a garbled apology, heading for the exit as quickly as I could. As I barreled through the swinging doors, I heard a chair scrape behind me, but I refused to look back. My throat thickened and tears threatened, but if I could just get outside, I would be able to breathe.

I shot down one of the corridors, no clue if it was the right direction. I could hear footsteps behind me, and it only took him a moment to catch up. "Bella, please can you just stop for a second? Please."

He clutched my hand, stopping me dead in the empty hallway. My shoulders heaved from the adrenaline, anger, and hurt that he had inflicted.

"Please. Will you look at me?" He tugged gently on my hand and a strangled sound left my lips. I couldn't look at him. I didn't want to see his face and imagine him with her.

He gave up asking and gripped my shoulder, spinning me around. I grasped onto his forearms. "Edward. Stop. I …"

"Just let me explain. It's wasn't what it looks like." His voice was pleading, broken, and rough.

I dug my fingers into his skin, my anger resurfacing while I processed his words. I snapped my head up to meet his eyes, and he flinched at my sudden movement.

"Well, what was it then, Edward? Tell me. I don't hear from you for two days, and then you turn up with _Lauren_." I spat out her name with disgust, my face contorting into a grimace. "Would you have even come if it wasn't an emergency, or would you two have been carrying on with whatever it is that you've been doing together?" I pushed his arms away from me. "Why did I ever think I could trust you? I must be crazy. I _saw_ it with my own eyes, but I was too busy being pathetic, falling for your charms. Well, you can _both_ fuck off."

I spun on my heel and stalked off; the tears that had been threatening to fall spilled freely down my cheeks.

He darted in front of me, grabbing my arms gently and blocking my path. "It's nothing like you're thinking. There is _nothing_ between us like that, nor has there ever been. Let me explain."

I snorted in a very unladylike manner, but I couldn't find it in myself to give a shit. "If there's nothing going on between you, why not just tell me what you were doing instead of treating me like I mean nothing to you?"

Edward's brow furrowed, and I saw the pained tightening of his lips and the defeat in his eyes. "I don't know."

I drew in a breath that turned into a sob. My whole body shook with my distress, and I couldn't control the anguish that cracked my voice. "Leave me alone. Just leave me the hell alone. Please, Edward. Please." I whispered the last word, brushing the tears away from face. I side-stepped him and walked away.

As I turned the corner, I heard him curse followed by a loud thud that could have only been his fist smashing against the wall. I flinched at the noise, and my footsteps faltered. After everything, my instinct was to go to him, but I thought back to Lauren's face as her eyes met mine through the glass, and that brought about a sickening jolt to my chest and forced me to carry on.

I found a small restroom and locked the door behind me, splashing cold water on my face in the vain hope the red puffiness around my eyes would subside. The artificial lighting cast an unflattering glow. My reflection was ashen, red eyed, and hopeless. I could have easily blended in amongst a horde of zombies or passed as a vampire. Could I believe him when he said there was nothing going on between him and Lauren? I chewed on my lip, leaning against the bathroom wall. His voice and his actions conveyed his frustration, and I still had a glimmer of hope that he was telling the truth.

In my current state, I was veering between wanting to search out Lauren and rip the peroxide-blonde hair out of her head and wanting to curl up and cry. I laced my fingers together, placing them behind my neck, rotating my head, before dropping my hands down again. The motion set off the hand dryer, which blasted through the room, the sound jolting me like a defibrillator. The fright shocked me from my lethargy, and with my adrenaline coursing, I headed back to Ro.

When I walked into her room, Emmett, who was stuffing something in his pocket, shot up and started fussing with Ro's blankets. Realizing it was just me, relief flashed across his face, and he went back to his suspicious activity.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, picking up Ro's plastic cup of water and drinking half of it, as if the abundance of tears shed had dehydrated me.

"He's stealing the latex gloves," Ro whispered conspiratorially.

I furrowed my brow at them both. "Why on earth are you doing that?"

Emmett shrugged. "They come in handy for loads of things."

"They're good for handling garlic," Ro added.

I narrowed my eyes at them both. "I hope it's not some sort of weird, kinky fetish or one of Emmett's pampering secrets."

Ro laughed, but Emmett's face looked suspiciously guilty.

I held my hand up to them. "I don't even want to know."

Emmett opened his mouth, but deciding against whatever cringe-worthy details he was going to spill, he closed it again.

I flopped down into the chair, changing the subject in an attempt to keep the spotlight away from me. "When can we spring you from this joint?"

"We're just waiting for the doctor to sign the discharge papers." Emmett had found his voice again. He had finished hording his contraband but had turned his attention to the cardboard bowls, putting one on his head. It barely perched there; his head was so large.

"You know they're for puking into," I reminded him.

He grabbed it, spinning it on his hand in a poor imitation of Frank Sinatra, and tucked it under his arm. "This one's vomit-free. Maybe we could take a few home for … storing stuff."

"Alright, Bonnie and Clyde." I stood up and snatched it out of his hands, putting in back next to Ro's bed. "I don't think a life of crime is the best idea for soon-to-be parents."

They both looked a little nervous, and I immediately felt mean. Even more so when Emmett reminded me I'd come back from the cafeteria empty handed.

"You know what, B? I'm really enjoying this hot chocolate. It's delicious." Emmett raised an invisible cup to his mouth, smacking his lips together.

"Oh, sorry. Erm … it was closed." I couldn't think of a better excuse, so I handed him his money back.

Ro never one to let things lie asked, "Closed? You'd think it'd be open all hours in a hospital."

I shrugged, wanting to change to subject immediately, but Ro's curious eyes roved over my face. "Are you okay, B? You look like you've been crying."

I picked up my bag, rummaging around in it hoping to find a magic wand to vanish me out of the room. "No, just been rubbing them. I think I'm allergic to hospitals. The hand gel or something—it's really strong. Pure alcohol apparently. It's made my hands really—"

"Where's Edward?" Ro interrupted and demanded. Her tone was impatient, but when I looked up, she was addressing Emmett.

"I don't know, but I called everyone I could think of. He'll be here soon." Emmett attempted to maintain a nonchalant expression, but the way his eyes flicked between Ro and me gave him away.

"You haven't seen him either?" I asked, my voice giving away all the emotions I'd attempted to conceal as it wavered.

"No." Emmett was sheepish, scratching his neck.

"Emmett McCarty, what's going on?" Ro had donned her Dana Scully-esque brusqueness as she proceeded to grill him on Edward's whereabouts. Poor Emmett, who could probably hold his own under FBI interrogation, was wilting under Ro's questioning. He was edging closer to the door, pulling down the handle, slipping out within seconds, muttering something about jackasses.

Once the door closed behind him, Ro turned to me, her voice soft. "B, what's going on?"

Hearing Ro's concern, the closest person I had to family over here, I could feel the tears welling and the words wanting to jumble out of my mouth. I took a deep breath and shook my head, faking enthusiasm. "Nothing. It's not a big deal, and anyway, it's you we need to talk about. Are you okay? How did Emmett handle the news?"

Ro pushed back the sheets and clambered down from the dangerously high bed, her bare legs and feet poking out from her paper-thin gown. Without another word, she enveloped me in a hug, whispering in my ear, "I will kick his ass if he's hurt you."

The floodgates opened and words tumbled out as gobbledygook until I'd cried the heaviest tears, managing to form coherent sentences after the sharpest pain had passed to explain what had happened. It occurred to me that I should be comforting Ro and that this whole mess was totally inconvenient. Edward's timing was _not_ impeccable.

I managed to return to a modicum of composure after Ro climbed back into bed and pulled me in next to her. We talked about Edward and Emmett and babies and home. She was nervous but excited about her future, one that had been freshly mapped out only hours before. My future had been at a crossroads, but now I was stuck in a muddy quagmire, and I wasn't sure how I was going to climb out without help. When I thought of who I needed to help me, I couldn't picture anyone else other than Edward.

We remained side by side as we both drifted off to sleep. The last thing I remember, hovering in the hazy area before sleep overcomes, was her whispering in my ear as she held my hand. "I've been thinking about it, B, and I can't understand. I can't believe he would do something like that to you. When I see the way he looks at you … it's like … he's found his person … it's how I feel when I look at Emmett. I know you won't want to hear this, but I think you should talk to him. I know you're hurting, but just give him a chance. He loves you, B."

Emmett gently shook us awake and told me that Edward had gone home. I was too tired to question him further, but he wrapped me up in his huge arms, telling me he was there if I needed to talk. I could understand why Ro loved him; he was gentle and caring and safe. I nodded and told him I would. Not long after, Dr. Jake breezed into the room, looking as fresh as a daisy, and discharged Ro.

I insisted they go home together. They needed time to talk. Ro protested, but knowing how stubborn I could be, she eventually gave in, and I returned to our dorm alone.

I crawled into my bed, with my phone in my hand, warring with myself over whether to turn it on. I did—my self-control was pitiful—and almost immediately the sharp notes of my ringtone burst into the room. My finger shot to cancel the call before I could think—a stupid thing to do because it told Edward that I was there. It rang and rang over and over and over, stopping only when there was a knock at my door. Edward called out my name, softly and only once.

I couldn't speak to him like this; my emotions were all over the place, and I felt too fragile. I wanted to go to him. I wanted him to take me in his arms and make it all go away, to smell him and touch him and never let him go, but—and it was a big but—I couldn't get that stupid bitch's face out of my mind. That was what gave me a little bit of strength to ignore him. I would pull myself together first and decide what to do, later.

He didn't push or raise his voice, and eventually, it went quiet. My phone beeped with a text and then darkened. It remained that way from the rest of the night. I slept fitfully with it clutched in my hand, and when I woke in the morning, in the split second while the cogs in my mind aren't yet fully turning and all I can feel is the warm comfort of my bed in my half-asleep state, I looked at the screen and opened the last message.

**I'm not going to give up.**

My resolve was hanging by a thread. Dragging myself out of bed, I quickly got dressed, avoiding looking at myself in the mirror. I could already tell without a visual that my eyes were puffy and swollen. I decided not to bother with makeup—I was hardly in the right frame of mind to even change out of my pajamas. But, I shoved on my jeans and a vintage Muddy Waters t-shirt. I thought it was appropriate for the situation.

I was piling my hair into a messy knot on my head when there was a loud and incessant hammering on the door. I composed myself, fully expecting it would be Edward, but it was Alice's voice that ordered me to open up. Even though I was dreading our impending conversation, I couldn't help the disappointment that settled over me that he wasn't there.

She breezed in, holding a tray with two coffees and a paper bag. My stomach grumbled, reminding me I'd hardly eaten anything since yesterday morning.

"I got you a double-shot caramel latte with extra cream and chocolate sprinkles," she explained, handing me the heart attack in a paper cup. "And, I got us some breakfast muffins." Her eyes softened as she took in my pitiful state. "I thought you might need some energy and a treat. How are you doing?"

"You've spoken to Ro?" I asked, taking the lid of the coffee. It looked as thick as treacle and tasted even better.

Ali sat crossed-legged on my bed. "I did. She explained everything about the hospital trip. Do you know what they're going to do?"

"I haven't spoken to her yet this morning, but I think Ro's going to need her mom."

Ali looked panicked. "Will she stay until the end of the semester?"

I'd been thinking about this all night. Without a shadow of a doubt, Ro would want to go back home. It had been my idea to take a course that included a year abroad, and I'd talked a reluctant Ro into it. Growing up without a father, her relationship with her mom was everything to her. When I put myself in her shoes, I knew I wouldn't want to experience my first pregnancy without my mom firmly by my side. I also knew I couldn't do it without Ro.

"I don't know. They'll need to decide what they're doing as a couple first." I was sure that Emmett would follow Ro to the ends of the earth.

Ali remained pensive, sipping her own black coffee; she decided to change the subject. "Ro mentioned that Edward turned up," she prompted, testing the waters. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I immediately shook my head, setting my coffee down and ripping open the brown paper bag. The aroma of fruity cinnamon filled the room from the still warm muffins. "I don't really know what to say."

Climbing onto the bed, I leaned against my pillows, pulling my knees up to my chin. Ali ignored my response and reached out, squeezing my foot. "Have you spoken to him?"

"No. I was too angry." If I'd had to confront him in such a state, I wouldn't have been able to string a sentence together.

"And you're not angry now?"

"I'm furious with him. I'm just channeling elsewhere."

Ali looked warily at me. "Where?"

"Lauren." Even her name felt like hate on my tongue, and I'd never hated a word more. I despised every single corner of it. I'd once known a Lauren from high school. She played trombone in the school band and walked just the right side of geek and chic. I always thought fondly of her when I came across the name. Now she'd been obliterated from my memory to be replaced with an unpleasant buxom blonde with spiteful blue eyes.

"What did Edward tell you?" Ali enquired; she looked troubled, like she couldn't put her finger on something.

I thought back to his frantic words. "He said that nothing had happened between them—that it never had."

"Do you believe him?"

I wanted to more than anything. "I don't know."

"Has he ever done anything to make you feel like there was something between them?" Ali was slowly slipping into legal mode.

I couldn't deny that I'd been wary of Lauren. Her actions toward Edward were always overfriendly and too forward for my liking. But, I'd rarely felt jealous because in all the times I'd seen her rubbing herself all over him, he had never reciprocated with anything that could be construed as more than friendship. "No, he hasn't, but I've never trusted her."

"I know, but let's stick to the facts for now. Okay?" She picked up my coffee, shoving it in my face. "Drink."

"I am!" I took a big swig to pacify her.

Satisfied, she continued, "How does Edward know her?"

I thought back to all the times she'd come up in conversation, which wasn't often. I never wanted to seem like a cling-on. "He hardly spoke of her, but he did say she was an old friend."

Ali tapped her index finger on her chin. "Unrequited love, perhaps?"

"I have no idea. But that still doesn't explain why he was missing and why he didn't contact me."

Ali paused, her analytical mind no doubt sifting through for a valid explanation. She'd be there a while, and I'd done nothing but overanalyze since the moment I'd laid eyes on her in the hospital. "She didn't look very happy," I mused.

"How so?" Ali's eyes widened in excitement at my revelation.

"Whenever I've seen her, the most I got was sneer, but she looked … I can't explain it … worried?"

"So, not guilty?" She waited for me to respond, and I shook my head. "Worried about Ro or Edward?"

"I don't know. I doubt she was worrying about Ro." The chances of that were zero. Ro had taken it upon herself to act as my personal force field, shooting death glares in Lauren's direction at every opportunity.

"So, she was worried about Edward. But why?" Ali surmised.

I was too, and that was where my resolve was crumbling. No matter how angry I felt, his appearance pulled on my heartstrings enough to play a sonata. "Ali, he looked terrible. Whatever's going on, it's affecting him hugely. The fact that he was drunk doesn't help his case though."

"Are you sure he was drunk?" She steelpled her finger, resting her elbows on her knees. The gesture reminded me of Carlisle and added another unanswered question to my long, long list. Why would you introduce someone to your family and then disappear the next day with another woman?

"He'd definitely been drinking."

"Does he go out on benders a lot?" Ali asked.

"Not since I've known him. You know what he's like. He's a fitness freak. If he does drink, he only ever has a few beers."

"So it's out of character." She concluded.

"It all seems out of character to me, but maybe I don't know him at all." Ali was helping me to see things more clearly, but parts were still so murky.

"How are you going to get to the bottom of it?" I had a feeling that this was a leading question.

I sighed, resting my forehead on my knees that I'd hugged to my chest. "I need to talk to him."

"Yes you do," she answered, and I looked up at her. She had a satisfied smile on her face as she stood up off the bed, grabbing her handbag.

"I can call him." I picked up my phone and scrolled down for his number.

"Nope. You don't need to do that." She snatched my phone, placing it on my bedside table, and tugged on my arm to get me to stand.

"Why not?" She was confusing me, but I stood and followed her to my door.

Before she opened it, she lowered her voice and squeezed my hand, giving me an affectionate smile. "You don't need to call him, because he's outside. He's been there all night."

Shock didn't even begin to explain how I felt. Shocked, thrilled, sad, angry. All of the above. "All night?" I parroted Ali's words.

"Yes. He's sat on the stairs all night." She wrapped her arms around me as I stood there unresponsive. "Give him a chance to explain, and then consider the facts before you make any decisions, okay?"

I agreed, and she left, heading downstairs. Ro and Ali had both asked me to give him a chance, when as my best friends, they could have turned on him. They took loyalty and protectiveness to the next level, and if they could see something worth fighting for in Edward, then I had to at least hear him out.

I took a deep breath and left my room. I could hear quiet voices, recognizing the low rumble that was undeniably Edward. I couldn't make out his words, but I could hear Ali loud and clear. Her tone was matter of fact. "I've done what I can, Edward, and she's willing to talk. I hope you can make this right. If you can't, you're going to have Ro and me to answer to."

Affection for her swamped my body as I heard the front door close behind her, followed by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

Edward rounded the corner, and I couldn't help my rash, gullible heart from fluttering in my chest. He'd changed since I saw him at the hospital; he was dressed in my favorite jeans and the marl-grey hoodie he'd worn when we'd first met in the coffee shop. I wished with all my heart that whatever he was going to say would erase the doubt that lay heavy in my stomach. Because, when he saw me standing at the top of the stairs, a tentative smile appeared on his tired but still utterly devastating face, and I knew it then—I was stupidly and inconveniently in love with him.

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**~o~o~o~o~o~o~**

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**AN:** Muddy's got some 'splainin to do!

Thanks for reading xoxo

**Fic Rec**

**Expectations and Other Moving Pieces **by** chrometurtle – **this is one of my all time favourites. It's not complete, but the author updated recently, so I've got my fingers crossed!

Come over to FB and join the **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction **group (link on my profile) – we'd all love to see you.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	22. Kettlebell Swing

**AN**: _Thank you for the lovely reviews, follows and recs._

_Thanks for my prereaders __**Chocaholic123, cutestkidsmom**__ and __**Katie Boberg**__ for holding my hand with this chapter, and to __**jcat5507**__ and __**mcc101180**__ for beta'ing for me, and getting it back super fast._

_SM owns Twilight_.

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**~o~o~o Kettlebell Swing ~o~o~o~**

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"Hey." Edward stood in front of me, his hands awkwardly tucked in his jeans as if he didn't know what to do with them. Irrationally, I wanted him to touch me, to take my hand, cup my cheek, or—as he always did—brush his thumb across my lips. But I didn't move. How was it possible to want to punch and kiss someone in equal measure?

"Do you want to come in?" I didn't know why I'd asked. Immediately, I wanted to take it back, hoping he would decline. We'd had so many good times together there, and I didn't want to tarnish the only place in this foreign country that I could call home with bad memories.

"I thought maybe we could go for a walk." He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, and I realized he was nervous. His usual confidence was gone, and I wondered if he'd left it with Lauren. Who was the Edward that she knew? Was he smug and flirtatious, or gentle and loving, or passionate? Perhaps there was a side of Edward I'd never seen. The thought made me feel ill.

"Where do you want go?" I demanded. The bad feelings I'd harbored over the past few days were being stirred up by my disconcerting thoughts.

"Anywhere you want. To the park?" He chose his words carefully, as if he was treading on eggshells—and he was.

"Outside?" I asked.

He laughed, softly. "I figured you can't kill me in a public setting."

"Am I going to want to?"

The nervous smile slipped from his face. "I hope not."

"Fine. Let me get my coat." I went into my room, letting the door close on him. Slipping my coat on, I hazarded a glance in the bathroom mirror, wishing I hadn't. Faint blue crescents under my eyes were a reminder of my fitful night's sleep. I grabbed my concealer and then, in a flash of anger, threw it down into the sink. What was I doing? Why did I care what I looked like? The fact that I _did_ care was making this whole situation so much harder.

I took in a deep breath, smoothing some flyaway hairs, and headed back out.

Without uttering a word to him, I walked downstairs and into the bright sunshine. The weather wasn't reflecting my mood at all. Dark cloudy skies and clashing thunderstorms would have been better.

Edward fell into step next to me as I strode in the direction of the park. "How's Ro?"

"She's fine," I snapped, increasing my pace. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but a brisk breeze chilled my cheeks, and I shoved my hands into my pockets for warmth.

He hardly had to change his pace, his long legs easily keeping up. That annoyed me even more, and I considered breaking into a run, but that would have been childish, and I'd promised myself I'd try and retain some dignity. Ideally, I would have liked to rant and rave and perhaps throw myself on the ground in a full out-and-out tantrum. But, that wasn't the name of the game; I was aiming for cool, calm, and collected. Three big, fat lies.

From the corner of my eye, I could see he was lost in thought; a troubled expression furrowed his brow, but the rest of our walk continued in silence.

The exercise and fresh air was dulling my anger and clearing my mind. We came upon a playground, deserted in the early morning. My stubbornness fizzled out, and I couldn't wait any longer to hear him talk, so I headed for the swings.

I sat on the rubber seat, clasping the cold chains in my hands, and pushed off with my feet to swing until the breeze ruffled my hair. Edward sat on the swing next to me, remaining motionless. I could feel his eyes on me.

I looked at him properly for the first time and it almost broke my heart. He looked so weary. I searched his sea green depths for guilt, remorse, or indifference but saw nothing other than anxiety.

"Are you going to explain what's going on?" I broke the silence, suddenly desperate to understand what was troubling him so much. It was so easy to forget about Lauren when he looked at me like there was nothing else in his world.

"Bella, I'm so sorry that it's ended up like this. I've made some pretty idiotic decisions over the last few days. I'd planned to explain everything, but then when I heard Ro was in hospital …" He paused, waiting for my reaction, but I didn't know what to say, so I pushed off my feet and swung; the motion was somehow comforting. "I want you to know that I never meant to hurt you."

I couldn't help the false laugh that spilled out at the irony of his words.

He continued on, "I know you may not feel that way at the moment, but, it's true."

"Where were you?" I stopped still, digging my feet into the red rubber matting.

He scrunched his eyes, rubbing his hands over his face. I had the feeling his frustration was directed internally. "Yesterday was Riley's birthday."

That was not what I'd expected to hear. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. Why couldn't he just tell me that?

"I've been finding it … hard." His voice was low, despondent.

"You should have told me. I could have helped." I tried not to feel hurt that he'd not come to me, but it was impossible. Wasn't that what normal couples did?

"I was just dealing with it." He shrugged.

"You shouldn't have to just deal with it alone, Edward. It's important to you. I can understand that." I tried to keep the disappointment that he'd not shared it with me from coloring my tone.

"I wasn't alone for all of it. I was with his parents and Laurie … Lauren." He looked at me then, and I couldn't hide the hurt that twisted my lips.

I tried to speak, but the words were stuck in my throat, and tears burned behind my eyes. "Why?" I managed to ask, my voice strangled.

Confusion flashed across his features, and he added, "We went to his grave."

"Edward, I understand that. What I don't understand is what the hell any of this has to do with Lauren?" The volume of my voice rose considerably, and I was thankful there was no one else around.

"Lauren is Riley's sister." He tugged on his hair.

My mouth hung open in disbelief, and I stood up. I was furious with him, and my voice was like ice as I responded, "And you're only telling me this now because … ?"

The change in my tone caused him to jump to his feet, but I held my hands up as I shook my head at him. He sat back down, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think about it. It was never a big deal before."

"Not a big deal? I just spent two days worrying to death about where you were. Then you turn up at the hospital drunk and with _her. _Do you have any idea what's been going through my mind?" I started to pace back and forth.

"Bella, would you please just let me explain? I'm begging you here. Please."

Once my anger had subsided, the red mist dissipating, I turned to him. "Fine, Edward, explain."

"I don't know why I didn't tell you. I'm an idiot—"

"Clearly," I muttered.

"I don't really talk about Riley. It's … I find it too hard … and Lauren is a part of him, so that's hard too. When I met you, you know I was attracted to you immediately, but it was just that at first." He sighed, and I tried not to take offense. In fact, I was so offended already, it would take more than that to make me flinch.

"And then when I got to know you, it all happened so fast. You were a breath of fresh air. You didn't know Riley, or Lauren, or anything that had happened, and that was one of the reasons why I loved spending time with you. To you, I was just Edward." He shrugged, and I tried not to linger on the fact he was talking in the past tense. "I know this is all redundant after what's happened, but I want you to know that I never withheld it from you on purpose. It just didn't seem important at the time." He hazarded a glance at me. "I see now that I was wrong. I'm so sorry, Bella."

I took the new information about Lauren and turned it over and over in my head, gradually shedding some light on the situation. It explained a lot of things, but it didn't make me feel any better. That he would keep such a significant part of his life separate from me was so hurtful.

"So, forgetting about Lauren, for now … Riley's birthday is what's been upsetting you?" I asked him. My stomach knotted as he shook his head.

"After Riley died, everyone was devastated. Especially Lauren. Riley doted on her, and it was one of the things that worried him the most. How she would cope if he …" Edward's voice cracked ever so slightly, and he wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"He wrote me a letter." He paused, sucking in a shaky breath. The silence was saturated with his sadness. It was so thick you could have reached out and squeezed it. Instead, I did the only thing I could. I wrapped my arms around him. He remained seated on the swing, but he buried his face into my chest, and his arms encircled my waist. He took a couple of deep breaths; the rise and fall of his shoulders rocked us gently. I was still annoyed with him, but I couldn't stand to see him like this.

Edward turned his head to the side, his cheek resting against me so he could speak. "He asked me to look out for Lauren." A breath shuddered from him, and I tightened my arms, resting my head on his hair. "I had to be there for her. I _have_ to be there for her."

He sat back and looked up at me; I could see the anguish reflected in his eyes. "There has never been anything more between us."

"Edward, I understand how difficult this has been for you, but you must see how she behaves around you." How could he be so blind?

"I promise you …" he cupped my face. "… since the moment I laid eyes on you, it's only ever been you."

I relished the touch of his hand for a minute; I'd desperately missed him. I missed every single inch of him, but I was finding it hard to let go of my hurt.

I stepped back from his embrace. "I don't understand why you couldn't tell me you were going through this, or at least call me?"

He sighed. "I didn't mean for it to happen like that. I was alone the night before his birthday. I had work to do, and I spent all night writing a stupid essay to take my mind off what the next day was, and I lost track of time. I'm so sorry."

"But yesterday. I understand that you were busy, but a text or call or even better if you'd talked to me in the first place?"

"I was going to tell you that night, but after the cemetery, I had an argument with Lauren, and I couldn't think straight. I ended up in a bar, alone, and I'm embarrassed to say I was there all night. Lauren found me. She guessed where I was. Riley and I used to go there together. She went crazy on me for worrying everyone, but she agreed to drive me to the hospital." His hand went back to his head, and he began yanking again. I reached out and stilled it. Whenever this whole mess was over, he'd still need some hair.

"What were you arguing about?" I hated to ask, but I needed more answers.

"We argued about you," he admitted, reaching for my hand.

I let him hold it. "Why?"

"I told her how I feel about you." His eyes softened as he looked at me.

"And she didn't like that?" I furrowed my brow, and Edward squeezed my hand gently.

"She doesn't want to lose me."

"And, you're telling me that she doesn't have feelings for you?" I scoffed, trying to refrain from rolling my eyes. Was he totally oblivious?

"No, Bella, you need to understand. I told her that I was falling in love with you."

His words hung in the air, and I wanted to hear them over and over and over, but I held back from blurting out an echo. My heart drummed erratically against my chest as his words sunk in, and a butterfly's fluttering dance began in my stomach.

"I don't understand, Edward. Why would that upset her?" I carried on gathering as much information as Alice had instructed, trying to put my emotions to one side. If I let them, I knew they would take over.

"Because she doesn't want me to leave." His voice was full of defeat, and I understood perfectly.

"Leave?" I wanted to hear the words, desperate for more confirmation of his feelings, to erase the doubt his secrecy had built in my mind.

"Because I want to be with you. I can't lose you at the end of this. I can't." Edward stood, reaching out for me. I hesitated, but he'd sapped my willpower to a flicker. Stepping into his embrace, burying my head into his chest, I breathed in his familiar scent, hiding the tears that escaped—tears for Edward and his grief mingled with tears for myself. I knew I could never erase his anguish for him, but how could I begin to help him if he wasn't going to let me into that part of his life?

"I don't want to lose you either," I whispered, feeling his lips press against the top of my head.

Neither of us spoke for what felt like forever.

I ran through everything in my mind until my thoughts were weary. I understood why he felt he couldn't leave. He'd made a promise, one he was determined to keep. It only made me love him more, but side by side with love was a sliver of fear. Edward couldn't leave England, and before all of this mess, I'd started to consider the implication of coming to live here with him. But could I give up my family and my friends—my life—for someone who hadn't offered me the same courtesy—to let me into theirs?

My anger toward Edward had blurred and shifted to a storm cloud hanging directly over Lauren's head. How could she ask him to stay? Irrationally, I felt jealous that she was a part of his life, that she could understand his grief when I couldn't. I felt sick with myself for even thinking that way, being affected by someone's heartbreaking death wasn't something to be envious of, but there was no doubt that the acid churning in my stomach when I thought of her was jealousy.

My kneejerk reaction was incredulity that she would use Edward's honor to her brother to keep him by her side, but I had never lost someone that close to me, so until I could take a walk in her shoes and live in her skin, feeling her pain—I couldn't judge her nor could I say anything to Edward. The push and pull of my emotions toward her, snapping from sympathy to hate, and pity to jealously, was making me feel dizzy. And, when I added Ro and Em's situation into the mix, I was afraid I was going fall.

I stepped back, missing his warmth like a blanket ripped from me on a cold morning.

"Edward, I want you to know that I've fallen for you in every way. Hell, I fell at your feet the first time we met." I joked and was rewarded with a half-smile that warmed me almost as much as his arms had.

"I'm guessing there's a but." His smile dropped a notch.

"It's not a but. More of a pause. I just need some time." The desolate expression that flashed across his face made me flinch.

"There's so much going on right now—with Ro and with you. I feel like we have a lot more to learn about each other."

"So you want to take a break?"

"No … well, yes … not a break really. You just need to give me a little bit of time to work everything out." I wasn't making much sense.

"We haven't got very much time."

"I know, but you're asking me to make a huge decision, and I need to be sure." I tried to pick my words carefully from the millions swarming around my mind.

"A decision?" He looked unsure of his question, but his eyes were a little lighter than before, unclouded.

"Yes. I want to be with you, Edward. But these past few days have knocked me. I want to be the one who's there for you, the one who you come to with all your worries. At the moment, I feel like I'm second in line. Do you understand what I'm saying? You have to let me see you. All of you."

Edward shook his head. "Bella, I want that too. I don't know what I was thinking. I—"

I stopped his hand before he had chance to weave it back into his hair, lacing my fingers with his instead. "You are hurting, and I understand that. I also understand that Lauren is special to you, and I think I can handle that as long as you let me in too. I need you to talk to me."

His grip tightened, brushing his thumb in circles over the back of my hand. It reminded me of the first time he'd held it in the club. "I can do that."

"I also think that you may want to talk to someone else about Riley. Maybe someone neutral? It could help you a lot." I didn't want to step out of line, but he needed help and I wasn't sure if his family, Lauren, and I would be enough.

He blew out a puff of air, the warmth tickling my cheek. "I know. My mum has been pushing me to see somebody too. I thought about it, but it just … I don't know. I just feel so guilty."

"What do you mean?" I ran my hand down the front of his hoodie, feeling the soft material until I clutched the bottom of it in my hand.

"Because he's not here, and I am." The words whispered out were laced with his grief. It was strangling him.

"Edward …" I cupped his face, tipping his head until I could look him in the eyes. "… don't ever think like that. You are here, and Riley would want you to live your life to the fullest. I don't know why these horrible things happen, but you can't ever turn the guilt on yourself, or it will slowly destroy you."

He pressed his cheek into my hand; his rough stubble scratched my skin gently. "The stupid thing is I know you're right, but I can't stop feeling it here." He placed his hand over his heart, and I covered it with my own, imagining the cracks he was struggling to heal.

"Will you talk to someone?" I tried not to plead, but I was desperate for him to agree. Waves of relief curved over me, like the cloudless, blue sky overhead, when he nodded.

"Anything you need, I will be here for you for," I explained.

His lips curved into a crooked grin, shattering the somber atmosphere that had formed around us. "Anything?" He raised his eyebrows, and although he was deflecting away from the difficult topic, I smiled, so happy to see his playful side return.

I rolled my eyes at him, smacking his arm. No matter how much I'd missed him, I knew for a fact that jumping into bed together would not help. "I think it's best if we just take it one step at a time. That … complicates things."

The petulant pout on his face caused the laugh I'd been holding back to escape. "For now, at least."

Edward's smile returned at my reassuring words. He was such a typical man.

The relief on his face was short-lived as I spoke, "There's something else I need to say."

"Okay." He sounded wary.

"Ro is my best friend, Edward, and I'm going to have to be there for her whatever happens. If she wants to go home, I will go too—at least until she is settled. If she wants to stay here, then that makes all of this a lot easier."

He didn't answer for a moment, but his eyes lingered over my face. "I understand," he replied, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. "And, believe me when I say I will wait for you."

Our attraction to each other was so potent, that I realized that it had taken over. If we were going to learn everything there was to know about each other, our lust was going to have to take a back seat. We'd been living in the moment, blindly stumbling forward with our feelings. Edward had turned his back on his past when he was with me. He needed to remember that it was a significant part of his life or he would never be able to move forward. "We've got a lot of talking to do."

"We do, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to talk to you for the rest of my life, Bella. I know we both have responsibilities to our friends, but when I look at you, I see so much more than a friend. I see everything."

His words blew the cobwebs of doubt from the corners of my heart, and I decided maybe everything was going to be okay. Standing on my tiptoes, I pressed my lips against his. It was a moment of sunshine after days of storms, and the feelings that filled me made me feel lighter than a feather.

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**~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~**

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**AN: **_So do we think he needs group hug? I hope that this chapter has put your minds at ease, and we can all get back to some Muddy lovin!_

_Thank you for reading. oxoxox_

_**Fic Rec**_

**Evading Edward** by **VampsHaveLaws** Just brilliant - some serious fireworks between these two.

**For the Summer** by **camoozle – **perfect summer love. Sigh.

Come and say hello over in my FB group **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** (link is on my profile) for teasers but mainly for a whole lot of lovely Rob.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**. I love to chat.


	23. Side Swerves

**AN**: _Thank you for the lovely reviews, follows and recs._

_Love and hugs to my prereaders __**Chocaholic123, cutestkidsmom**__ and __**Katie Boberg**__ , and to __**jcat5507**__ and __**mcc101180**__ for beta'ing my Britishisms out of me._

_SM owns Twilight_._  
_

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**~o~o~o~ Side Swerve ~o~o~o~**

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A multitude of greens and a blue, cloud-streaked sky blurred through the large window as the train sped across the rolling English countryside on its way to the capital. Ro's pink-socked feet were resting on my knees, her head resting on Emmett's shoulder as she dozed.

"What's 'to get one's goat'? It's nine letters ending in 'e'?" I chewed on the end of my pen, trying to focus on the black and white squares laid out on the table in front of me and not the heat from Edward's thigh pressed against my own.

The past week had flown by, and we'd talked and rehashed our feelings and worries, and things were a little clearer. I'd tried to limit the amount of time we spent together alone, wanting to give us both the chance to sort through the tangled mess we'd gotten ourselves into, without adding the gasoline of our attraction into the mix. It was not without difficulty that I'd managed to resist Edward.

"Let me see." He leaned over to look at the _Times_ crossword puzzle. His proximity and scent shot my pulse through the roof, and I wished I'd not asked. "Infuriate."

I filled in the letters, but he didn't move; a smug grin was plastered on his face as he looked at the other clues.

"Thank you." I elbowed him and narrowed my eyes. He got the message and sat back with a sigh, twirling the lid of a bottle of cloudy lemonade on the Formica tabletop.

"So, what do you want to see this weekend?" Emmett had watched our exchange silently and must have decided to break the tension. I was thankful for his sensitive nature at times like this. Ro and Em knew what had happened between us but left us to it. They had enough on their own plate and still hadn't decided on what they wanted to do. Emmett was researching a move to America and awaiting a response from his regiment before they put their plans into motion. I was almost positive we would be going home. I just didn't know when.

"Everything," Ro mumbled through her sleepy haze.

Emmett gave a hearty laugh. "I'm not sure we can fit everything in. But, we can do the main sites. Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square. If the weather stays nice, we could have a picnic in one of the parks."

"Em the romantic! I never thought I'd see the day," Edward teased.

"Don't be so mean. You could do with a little romance in your body." I remarked as I completed another clue, crossing it out with a neat line.

"I've got plenty of romance in me." He smirked, gesturing down his body. He was clad in dark denim jeans that hugged his physique in a sinful way and a red t-shirt that hinted at the hard planes of his chest and stomach. This weekend was going to test me to the limits.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Where?"

He shrugged. "You can't see it, but it's there." He fixed his eyes on me intently, and my pulse stuttered again. He wasn't making it easy to take things slowly when his every look made me want to pounce on him, oblivious of the company we were in.

"Edward thinks romance is letting a girl ride on top," Emmett added, earning him a nip from Ro.

He squirmed to get away from her. "Hey, I toned that comment down!"

"Zip it," Ro warned, mouthing an apology at us both. Her eyes were lazy with sleep.

I laughed, breaking the strange silence that had settled over us again. "It's okay. Does anyone know the answer to this … the 'city with the Bridge of Lovers'_?" _

"Paris," Edward answered immediately. "Apparently, if you kiss under it and wish for eternal love, your wish will be granted." His eyes darted to Em and Ro, who were chatting, lost in their own little bubble, so he leaned in again. His warm breath sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine. "And, if that was true, I would take you there today and kiss you senseless—just to make sure."

"You're right …" I completed the boxes "… about the answer."

I leaned over the table, balancing my head on my hand so I was facing away from him, but I couldn't help the smile on my face. I looked out of the window at the flashing scenery but only saw my reflection smiling back—alongside Edward's.

His crooked smile, full of optimism, rapidly melted my self-control into a puddle.

.

.

After finding our "boutique" hotel tucked down a narrow back street, we headed out to jump on the Open Top Bus Tour. The whole weekend had arisen from Ro's panic that she wouldn't get to see London now that her life plan had taken a dramatic turn. She'd booked the train and the hotel on a whim without consulting anyone, and I'd grumbled at her for days afterward. The hotel, described as a chic boutique apartment for four, turned out to be pair of cramped rooms with an adjoining door and a shared kettle.

Edward had already promised he'd sleep on the couch to keep inline with our self-implemented rules, but I already knew it was going to be a battle we would lose—or win—depending on which way you looked at it. I was still grumbling as she dragged us to the top deck of the ubiquitous, red double-decker bus.

"Stop moaning, B. We are hardly going to be in our room." Ro headed straight for the rear of the bus, commandeering the back seat and plugging her headphones into the socket, ready to go. There were plenty of seats available as there was no one else on the top floor, mainly because—it was freezing.

"I'm going to get pneumonia," I argued, shuffling into the far corner and huddling down on my seat, pulling my coat tighter around me.

Edward slid in next to me. He lifted his arm as if to wrap it around my shoulders but seemed to hesitate, and thinking better of it, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his navy peacoat. I was disappointed, but it was my own fault. I was the one who had laid down the rules of this "sorta-not-a-break" while we talked. I wanted to slap myself silly.

I plugged my earphones into the outlet and snapped them over my head. Edward tugged on the wire, attracting my attention.

"Don't wear those. I can tell you about the sights," he offered.

"You know all the history?" I pushed the earphones back, leaving them wrapped around my neck.

"Sort of." He shrugged with a wry grin. "It'll be more fun."

And it was. By the time we'd headed down The Mall, past Buckingham Palace and Horse Guard Parade, I had all but forgotten the cold and the fact that I couldn't feel my face or fingers. It felt so good to be with him. I watched the laughter curl Edward's lips and crinkle his eyes, such a contrast to the anxiety and pain that had marred his beautiful face only the week before.

The bright blue sky had gradually darkened as heavy gray clouds hid the sun, and it wasn't long before I felt drops of rain on my face.

I leaned forward and shouted across to Ro, "It's raining. Shall we go down?"

Ro wrinkled her face at the sky. "Yeah. Let's get off at the next stop. It's the London Dungeons."

"You want to go to the Dungeons?" Edward asked.

"Yep, why not? I've heard it's fun," Ro said as she shuffled down the aisle, trying to stay upright.

"That's not what I'd call it," he muttered, sliding out of his seat to follow Ro and Em downstairs.

"What?" I asked, confused by his response. The specks turned to big fat raindrops, bleeding into the cotton of my coat and running down my face.

Edward stood to the side in the aisle, letting me go first. "Nothing. Go on." He gestured to the spiral stairs to the bottom floor of the bus.

I rushed past him, holding onto the ice-cold metal bars above the seats to keep my balance. The bus pulled to a stop, brakes hissing, and I surged forward not expecting the sudden halt. Edward reached out and grabbed me around the waist to steady me. "Woah, I've got you."

Turning around, I grasped on to him. The rain drops were running down his face, but I could feel the warmth of his breath dancing across my skin, joining the fluttering dance that had started in my stomach.

He dipped his head closer to me, and for that moment, I could have been standing in the middle of a war zone, and I wouldn't have noticed anything else apart from him. The drops of moisture clinging to his lashes and his lips had parted, revealing a hint of his tongue. "Do you remember what you said to me on our first date at the beach?"

"I said a lot of things." The words came out in a whisper as the rain roared down in a torrent.

"You said that I could kiss you in the rain …" His hand left my waist and brushed away the hair that was plastered to my face. The intensity in his eyes made my knees weak, and I dug my fingers into the rough material of his coat to keep from faltering.

"I did say that," I answered, meeting his gaze. I wanted to lose myself in him, and I had so many times over the past week, but there was something that had held me back. Edward had stolen kisses—a peck on the cheek, a kiss on the tip of my nose or on my forehead, but since the searing kiss in the park when he'd poured out his worries and I'd agreed to help him carry them, this was the closest we'd been. I'd never wanted him more.

Edward slowly lowered his face to mine; rain dripped off his hair onto my skin. "Is this okay?"

"Edward, I—"

"Bella, what the hell? The bus is setting off!" Ro's screech shattered our moment, and the bus lurched forward. Once again, Edward caught me before I fell flat on my face.

"Shit, it's leaving." I spun on my heel, racing down the stairs, trying not to slip on the wet linoleum floor.

"Sorry, Sir. Please can we get off?" I waved at the driver, who shot me a dirty look, but after a tense few seconds, the door opened with a whoosh, and we jumped off onto the sidewalk and ran under the shelter of the building that Ro and Em were huddled under.

Edward was drenched, and I wiped the rivulets from my face, twisting my hair into a knot until water dripped out. "I bet I look like a drowned rat."

Ro didn't hesitate to agree with my assessment. "Yes, you do. What the hell were you doing?"

"Erm …" I couldn't think quickly enough, but thankfully, Edward had his head screwed on tighter.

"She dropped her bag and stuff flew everywhere. Can we go somewhere to get dry? I don't want Bella to catch her death." He winked at me.

Ro threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "Fine let's go and get a coffee, but …" she pointed at Edward "… Em told me why you don't like the Dungeons, and you're not gonna stop us." She arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him, daring him to challenge her.

"Why don't you like the Dungeons?" I turned to ask him and saw the narrowed eyes he flashed in Ro's direction.

"I don't know what she's talking about. It must be those hormones messing with her mind," he answered, lowering his voice, but he twisted his finger around by his temple—she got the gist.

"Watch it, Edward," Ro warned with a big grin on her face. I was definitely missing out on some vital information, and I was determined to find out what.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked as we walked, clinging to the edges of buildings to avoid the deluge of rain that was creating rivers down the streets.

"I'm fine. I just need to sort myself out. This is not a good look." I waved my hand down my body.

Edward stopped, grabbing my arm gently until I'd turned back to him. He raised his hands and brushed both thumbs under my eyes, no doubt, removing the trails of black mascara under my eyes. "I think you look lovely like this, Bella. It reminds me of when we first met."

I smiled up at him, straightening his collar as something to do in return. "I always seem to be a mess when I'm around you."

"Yeah, but you're my beautiful mess." He rolled his lip in his teeth as if he was nervous he'd said too much. I hated that.

"I am." My words cleared the clouds from his eyes, but unfortunately not the clouds from the sky, and I realized we were standing in the middle of a stream that, at that moment, rose over my feet and drenched my Chucks right through to my skin.

.

.

Feeling refreshed after some sugar, caffeine, and ten minutes drying myself awkwardly under a hand dryer, we were midway through our trip of the Dungeons.

I was in my element—watching a terrified man get a haircut from the menacing Sweeney Todd with his glinting razor, and travelling on a boat toward our execution, as Anne Boleyn had been doomed to hundreds of years ago—it was how I'd imagine Disneyland would be if Tim Burton could get his hands on it.

Edward's face had taken on an ashen tint since we'd arrived, and he was unusually quiet. The voice of Henry the Eighth booming from the darkness had almost caused him to fall out of the boat in shock.

"Are you okay?" I whispered as we were herded into the cobbled Victorian streets of Whitechapel by a dead prostitute, a red slash across her grubby neck.

"I'm fine." He scoffed, running his hand through his hair for the seven hundredth time in the past twenty minutes.

"You don't look fine. You look like you're going to pass out." A slamming door made the crowd jump, and Edward swore—loudly. We started to move through the maze of streets quicker, getting the distinct impression we were being chased, though we couldn't see through the people behind us. Ro gripped onto Em's arm, her nervous giggle bouncing around the small, dimly lit streets and darkened windows.

Edward didn't answer, but I watched his Adam's apple bob as he gulped in a breath of air.

"Have you never been here before?" I kept one eye on him and the other on the shady characters peering out of alleyways. I'd read the warnings in the guidebook about them sneaking up and frightening people half to death—and wasn't going to fall for it.

I noticed Edward's full attention was on them. "Nope. I'm not really into scaring myself for no apparent reason." His derision only made me smile more. Edward Cullen was a scaredy cat.

"You know they're only actors, right?" I tried not to laugh, but his eyes flashed to my face as I tried to contain it, and he scowled.

"Of course I know that. Why don't you listen to the tour guide? I thought you'd want to hear all about serial killers." He nodded to the woman in her ragged, bloodied corset at the front.

I decided to let it drop for the moment.

Once we'd been chased down the street and into a pub, my heart beating frantically against my chest, Ro and I dissolved into giggles, clinging onto each other. Emmett laughed along and even Edward was smiling in an odd way that I decided later was more of a grimace.

A spotlight shone down on the bar in the pub. A landlady cleaned a glass, her blond ringlets piled on top of her head. A shiver skipped down my spine to my toes as she told the story of Jack the Ripper in a haunting voice. I felt Edward move closer behind me. Instead of concentrating on her grizzly tale, I remembered accusing Edward of being a serial killer when he'd situated himself at my table in the coffee shop in his infuriatingly cocky way. I tried, unsuccessfully, to contain the laugh that the memory conjured.

We'd come so far since then, and feeling the warmth of him, I stepped back even farther, pressing my whole back against his chest and letting my head rest under his chin. I could feel my walls of self-preservation crumbling around me. It was still too soon to be back to where we'd been before the Lauren fiasco, but we were headed in the right direction. I had high hopes we would end up somewhere much better and, without a shadow of a doubt, that was what I wanted. I wanted to be with Edward.

He dropped his head down and whispered, "What are you laughing at?" His face was so close I felt the brush of his lips on my ear as he smiled.

Three things happened at once. The lights went out, leaving us in pitch black, nervous laughter and chatter spreading through the group. It turned into screams of fright as the doors to the pub flew open, revealing a menacing Jack the Ripper, and Edward turned the air blue with his curses.

My reaction to the appearance of this notorious killer—a fright I'd been unprepared for, having let myself get caught up in the sensation of Edward—had earned him a head-butt to the nose—a nose that was now gushing with blood.

For a moment, the screams escalated, a few overly dramatic tourists, Ro included, presumed the pretend-Victorian murderer had attacked Edward.

"Oh my god, Edward. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" The back of my head was throbbing from the impact, so he must have been in agony.

"I'm fine." His voice was muffled as he accepted the tissue I'd found in my bag. "I just need a bathroom."

I took his hand and dragged him to the deathly-white barmaid whose cockney accent had been dropped for a more elegant one. "Follow me," she ordered as the other tourists were ushered to continue on the tour.

"I'm so sorry," I told him again, biting my lip. He looked awful. Blood was smeared over his face and hands, and his t-shirt was ruined.

"How's your head?" He ran his hand over my hair, searching for a bump. I swatted it away.

"Don't worry about me. It's you that we need to sort out. That was my fault." I could feel the guilt bubbling up, and tears pricked my eyes as we came to a small restroom. I ignored the fact that it was probably for men only and followed him in, thanking the barmaid.

Edward removed the tissue from his nose, and seeing the blood flow had stopped, he turned to me, his lips in a tight line. "I probably deserved that."

"What?" I gasped. "What are you talking about?"

He shrugged, turning back to the mirror and assessing the damage. "I don't think it's broken, just a nosebleed." He ignored my question.

"Let me see. Here, turn around." I touched his arm, and he rested against the edge of the sinks. Pulling a wad of paper hand towels out from the dispenser, I wet one with warm water and positioned myself between his legs, tipping his head up with my fingers.

I gently wiped away the dried blood while his eyes were intent as he watched my face. "What do you mean you deserved it?" I asked again.

Throwing the used paper away, I soaked another and continued to clean the blood that had run down the column of his neck. "I hurt you, and now you've hurt me." He shrugged.

"Edward Cullen, will you shut up? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." I crossed my arms over my chest until he met my angry gaze.

My words didn't do the trick, and his usually bright eyes clouded with defeat.

"You didn't deserve what I did to you." He focused on his feet, refusing to look up.

"I think we need to go to the hospital." I scrunched up the last bit of wet towel and threw it toward the bin. It bounced off the edge—my aim was never very good.

Edward smiled at my poor attempt, but it left his eyes un-creased, whatever ridiculous notion he had in his head had dampened it. "The hospital?"

"Yes. I think you've got a concussion." I flicked my wrist at him to get up.

"Bella, you're pretty tough, but not that tough. I'm fine." He touched his nose and wiggled it gently, wincing at the movement. "See, no crunching. Your name is Bella Swan. I'm Edward Cullen. It's Saturday, and we're in the London Dungeon's bathroom. See? No concussion."

"How can you be fine when you're spouting ridiculous things about me not deserving you?" I tilted my head, waiting for his response.

He scuffed his hands over his face, immediately hissing when he remembered his sore nose a little to late. "I messed everything up between us, and … I miss you."

Stepping to him, and stepping over the last of the futile barriers that I'd put between us, I took his bruised face in my hands.

"Edward, it _was_ messy, but life is messy." His lips curled at one side, and I pressed my lips against the other side of his mouth until that lifted too. "It's what makes it all the better when it becomes … less messy."

I laughed at my poor attempt at explaining myself. "What I'm trying to say is that, yes, I needed time to think about everything, but I don't need any time to know that I want to be with you."

His hand found the small of my back, and he pulled me between his legs, wrapping his arms around my waist. His eyes roved over my face, searching until I felt the heat between us as if it was a physical band that wrapped in and around us over and over. His blue-greens cleared of thunderstorms and crinkled until I felt the sunshine in the windowless room from his crooked smile. "I love you, Bella. I don't think I stood a chance from the minute you turned up at the boot camp. I knew you were made to be mine."

I allowed his words to sink in before I answered. My heart did a little dance, and I had to bite my lip to keep my smile under wraps. "I love you too, but …" I tickled the short hair at the nape of his neck, and his brow pulled into a frown at my pause "… I'm going to have to blank this moment from my memory."

"Why?" His hands loosened around my waist.

"Because, I am not prepared to tell our children that the first time their dad told me he loved me—we were in the flaming toilets of the London Dungeons."

He threw his head back, his hearty laugh filling the room, and Edward Cullen filled my heart.

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**~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~**

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**AN:** _Thank you for reading. oxoxox_

_**Fic Rec**_

**Deviant** by **planetblue** Brand new story from the author of Barefoot in Texas. The B&E we meet in the daytime, seriously heat up when the sunsets. Leather and 'staches is all you need to know.

A little bit of self-promotion! I wrote a o/s for the HEA contest that unfortunately had to be withdrawn. – **Orange Kisses and Peppermint Hearts.** I have now posted it onto my profile if you'd like to read it**.**

There are some brilliant entries on the **HEA Contest** page and also the **Taste of the ForbiddenII** contest. Go check them out and leave the authors lots of love! Both links are in my fav authors.

.

Come and say hello over in my FB group **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** (link is on my profile) for teasers but mainly for a whole lot of lovely Rob.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	24. Leap Frogs

AN: _Thank you for all the fab reviews and rec's._

_Love to Chocaholic123, cutestkidsmom, and Katie Boberg for prereading and to jcat5507 and mcc101180 for beta'ing._

_SM owns Twilight_

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**~o~o~o~o~o~ Leap Frogs ~o~o~o~o~o~**

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Escaping out from the dark Dungeons into the fresh air and startling brightness of the afternoon, I felt like the sands had stopped shifting, and I was on solid ground with Edward by my side and my hand in his.

We made a detour back to the hotel so he could change his ruined shirt, and he hardly let go of me the whole time. His attempts at kissing me were thwarted by his painful nose. He flinched whenever I got too close to his face, like a boxer bracing for an incoming right hook. It didn't stop him from touching me though— his arm wrapping around my waist or shoulders, or his hand resting on the back of my neck or playing with my fingers I reveled in the feeling of having rebuilt our bridges, but there was still a niggling worry. I pushed it to one side, telling myself I would think about it after the weekend was over, and much to Edward's dismay, I still insisted that he slept on the couch.

I knocked on the adjoining door; my only answer was the muffled whispers and scrambling sounds that Ro and Em made, and I rolled my eyes at Edward. "This could be bad."

"We might need to buy earplugs," he added.

"Never mind ear-plugs. We might have to move to a hotel on the other side of the city." I twisted the door handle at Ro's request to enter.

She was sitting on the edge of the rumpled bed, flicking through the pages of a magazine while Emmett was fluffing the cushions on the couch. "You guys ready to go?" Ro asked, standing up and straightening her twisted top.

I took one look at Edward and burst out laughing. They were ridiculous. When we'd controlled ourselves, and Emmett had thrown the now perfectly fluffed cushion at Edward's head, narrowly missing his nose, we headed out to experience the nightlife that London had to offer.

Edward dragged us onto the tube, and we followed blindly, hopping from one line to another until I was so disorientated, I hardly knew which way was up. He eventually led us to a quaint pub with bright pansies and geraniums, a riot of color, spilling out of planters on its windowsills. A crowd of people stood outside its open doors, chatting and drinking, enjoying the light evening.

He pushed his way to the crowded bar, pulling me in front of him. I leaned my elbows on the sticky wooden surface, trying to choose a bottle of beer from the hundreds on display. Edward caged me in his arms, placing his palms on either side of me on the bar so his chest pressed into my back. He rested his chin on the top of my head.

"What do you fancy? And, don't say me." He chuckled at his own joke, and I dug my elbow into his ribs.

"I have no idea. You choose." As Edward shouted his order to the bartender,

I let my gaze wander around the busy room, spotting a group of girls on the other side of the pub. Their hair-flicking giddiness and whispering was anything but subtle as they eyed Edward, and I bristled at their obvious attempts to catch his attention. Shooting them a look of disgust, I huffed out a breath and returned my gaze to watch the organized chaos taking place as bartenders juggled and danced around each other serving drinks. Placing my hand alongside Edward's, my fingers hardly reached past his palm. He covered mine with his own and dipped his lips, running them along the shell of my ear.

"You okay?" The pub was filling up, and the crowd pressed into us, pushing my ribs uncomfortably into the wooden bar and Edward farther into my back. I could feel every inch of his hard body, and the sensation made me want to throw caution to the wind and spin around, marking him as mine right there in front of everyone.

"I'm fine." I shot another look at the girls, and they giggled when Edward's eyes followed my own directly at them.

His laugh resounded through the thin material of my t-shirt, straight into my body.

"Are you jealous?" he teased.

I wriggled away from him to gain a bit of space, all of a sudden feeling too hot. "No, I'm not. I just think staring's rude."

He closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around my waist. The tight band of his muscled arms was heaven in comparison to the sharp edge of the bar that I was sure had left a red mark. His hands spanned from my hips across my ribs, and his thumb brushed the underside of my breast, sending a ribbon of heat through my body. "They're looking at you. Not me." He ran the tip of his tongue across the edge of my ear; the shiver wracked my body.

"They're looking at _you_." I hazarded another glance, and they _were_ looking at me but with barely concealed jealousy. It made me feel a whole lot better. The girls disappeared from my consciousness when his other hand started a descent, brushing over my hips, down my leg. He curled and ran his finger up along my inner thigh, tracing the seam of my jeans, his actions hidden by the tall bar and the crowd.

Edward continued to kiss along my ear, trapping my earlobe in his teeth and tugging. It elicited a moan that shouldn't be heard outside the bedroom. I felt the effect it had on him pressing into my back. "God, woman, what are you doing to me?" He nuzzled his face into my neck, and I was about to demand he take me back to the hotel when our drinks arrived, breaking the spell.

All the blood in my body had rushed to the destination his hand was heading to, but as he pulled away, leaving me bereft, I snapped out of it, blushing profusely when I realized how many people there were crammed in around us. Edward collected the bottles of beer and Ro's lemonade, heading outside into the fresh air. I hooked my fingers into the back pockets of his jeans so I didn't lose him in the crowd.

We spent the rest of the evening sitting outside until the moon was high in the sky, and the sounds of a bluesy band poured out from the pub. It was the perfect end to our day.

Conscious we didn't want to be hung-over for another day of sightseeing the next day, we headed back to the hotel at midnight. Ro was whinging about turning into a pumpkin, and Em had earned a swift smack to the side of his head when he'd told her she would more than likely look like a pumpkin in a couple of months.

We said our good nights, and they headed into their room, leaving us standing in ours. Edward pulled me into his arms and pressed a kiss to my head. "I think I should still sleep on the couch."

His words stung me with disappointment, but it was what we'd agreed. We stood there for a moment, and I breathed him in—fresh laundry detergent and his spicy cologne, mixed with a tinge of smoke from the pub.

"Okay, I'm just gonna go get changed." I said.

Edward released me and pulled off his t-shirt, opening his bag and pulling toiletries out. I rolled my eyes at myself. Why the hell did I say we should hold off on jumping into bed? It was even stupider than the time I drained the boiling water from a pan of potatoes straight on to my feet.

I headed to the bathroom and jumped into the shower, twisting up my hair and securing it with a clip; I didn't have the energy to wash it. I hurried to wash and dry, wanting to see Edward. I half hoped he'd join me, but he was being a gentleman. Dressing quickly in some shorts and one of Edward's t-shirts—I'd started quite a collection—I heard a knock on the bathroom door. I let him in, and his eyes ran over me, appraising every inch. He lingered on my legs, his expression displaying his satisfaction. When he caught that I was wearing his shirt, his eyes narrowed and his lips twisted into a smile.

"I wondered where that had gone," he said, shedding his jeans and boxers in a flash of an eye and with a smirk at my shocked expression. He jumped in the shower and began humming a tune the band had played earlier that night.

"It looks better on me than you." I shrugged—a lie he merely laughed at. I turned to brush my teeth, attempting to watch him in the mirror, but was thwarted by the condensation. I could make out the shape of his long and lean body, the black flicks of his tattoo contrasting against his skin.

Removing myself out of temptation's way, I left the bathroom and pulled the covers back, crawling into the huge bed. Taking full advantage of the space, I settled in the middle, wriggling down under the dark purple bedding.

Edward appeared not long after, the bed dipping under his weight as my eyelids began to droop. His hair, darkened by the water, was mussed up, and droplets of water dappled his skin. He'd pulled on a pair of navy shorts, which were hanging low on his hips, drawing my eyes to the muscled v that his tattoo followed under the waistband. He pressed a kiss onto my cheek, and I felt water droplets land on my face. "Good night, beautiful. I'll be over there if you need me." He gestured to the uncomfortable looking couch, and I had a twinge of guilt.

He rolled over my body, holding the brunt of his weight off me but reminding me what it felt like to be pressed into a bed by him. I cursed myself silently as he settled himself on the couch, stretching his arms above him and then resting his head onto them, watching me.

We could hear Ro's giggles coming from the other room, and I felt a wave of embarrassment flush my skin. I pulled a pillow over my head and groaned.

Edward laughed. "Maybe we should put some music on or … make our own noise?"

I snorted, tucking the pillow under my head so I could see him better. "I could sing to you."

His eyes widened at my suggestion. "No, don't. I'd rather listen to Em grunting for two minutes than that."

"That's not very nice to me or Em," I grumbled.

"Sometimes the truth hurts."

I narrowed my eyes at his smirk. "Talking about things that hurt—how's your nose? Maybe I should take a look?"

"I think you should stay away from my nose for a little while. It's still recovering from your last encounter." He tentatively touched his forefinger and thumb to it and winced.

"What was going on in the Dungeons anyway?" I wanted to get to the bottom of his odd behavior.

"Nothing. I just don't like shit like that." His attention all of a sudden changed to the pattern of leaves on the navy material of the couch.

"Shit like what? History?" I watched him tracing his fingers over and over the shapes.

"No. Who doesn't like history?" He scoffed.

I grinned at him, knowing I'd hit the jackpot. "You don't like scary stuff?"

"Not really." He tried to feign indifference. "I don't see the point of scaring yourself."

"You're a scaredy cat," I teased, trying to ignore the moans that were emanating through the paper-thin walls.

"No. I'm just not a crazy person." He reached up and flipped the light off, plunging us into darkness.

"So you don't like horror movies?" I asked, my eyes adjusting to the lack of light to make out his form spread out across the couch.

"I'd rather watch something else." His voice permeated the room, and I closed my eyes to listen, the darkness intensifying my awareness of him.

"Would you watch a horror movie with me?" I asked, digging for more details of his apparent phobia.

"Nope." I heard a long sigh pour from his mouth, and I smiled into the darkness, enjoying nothing more than finding a chink in his cocky armor.

"But, what if it's an amazing film I _have_ to see. I can't go on my own. I'd have to find another date."

"No you wouldn't, because you can just stay in and have fun with me." Covers shuffled in the darkness, and I could vaguely make out that he'd turned on his side and was leaning on his elbow.

"That doesn't sound like much fun." It did, but that wasn't how I was playing this.

"Why don't you let me show you?" His confidence-laced voice spilled out into the darkness, and I couldn't deny the impact it had on my body, heat flaring in more than one place.

"Why don't you let me show _you_? We can have a Fright Night marathon," I retorted.

"I think I'll pass." Edward yawned, and I saw the flash of his arms as he stretched them over his head before settling down to sleep. "Night, beautiful."

I bit back another comment. He wasn't rising to my bait, so I let it drop, instead responding, "Good night, Edward."

I snuggled down into the covers, already wishing I was curling against him when he spoke, "Isn't it funny how a lot of horror movie scenes take place when you're in bed?"

"Oh, so you do watch them," I responded with a wry smile that was lost in the darkness.

"I used to, so I know that Freddie Kruger, Pennywise, and Jason all get you when you're sleeping, cozy and oblivious to the danger. Did you check under the bed tonight?"

The shadows filling every corner seemed to grow, menacing and hiding hideous secrets. I hugged myself under the covers. "Did you check under your couch?"

"No need. Couches are safe. Night." I heard the shuffling of covers as he settled.

I could hear my heart thumping in my ears as I internally scoffed at his words. I wasn't going to fall for his tricks. Squeezing my eyes shut to block out the looming shadows, I turned my thoughts to Edward, replaying the day we'd spent together. After the chaos of the past week, the calm had returned, and although we'd all been tossed around by the strong winds and dropped back in different places, we were finding our way back to each other.

I held that thought in my mind as I felt the room melt away and the softness of sleep encroaching. A shadow flashed across the back of my eyelids—a subtle change in the shade of black—and I snapped my eyes open. My heart rate accelerated as I peered into the darkness, straining my eyes and ears.

I couldn't see anything, but the fear skipped up my spine, and flashes of every horror movie I'd seen seemed to crouch in the corners of the room. I scrunched my eyes together, slowly counting down from a hundred, pushing visions of psychotic clowns and men with knife-sheathed hands aside. My slow return to my sense was shattered with a creak from a floorboard outside the door. It drained the blood from my body, making my mouth dry and my heart claw up my throat. Not hesitating for a second, I scrambled across the bed toward Edward.

He already had the covers lifted into the air for me to slip in next to him, and although I couldn't see it, I could imagine exactly how his mouth would be curled. "You held out longer than I thought you would."

His breath fanned out across the bare skin on my shoulder. I moved as close to him as I could, clinging onto his warm body as he dropped the covers over us, sealing in our heat.

"You are so mean." I pressed my face into his chest, tangling my legs with his, smooth skin against coarse hair. He drew me even closer, wrapping his arms around me. Monsters and madmen melted away until it was just us.

"It worked, didn't it?" I felt the heavy weight of his head on top of mine, his fingers sketching a lazy pattern over the soft cotton between my shoulder blades. There was barely any room on the couch—we were flush against each other, but I fit perfectly against him. I always had.

I moved my head back to look up at him, but it caused him to shift his own quickly, and I winced as I remembered our unfortunate collision. "Are you sure your nose is okay?"

"It's fine. It just makes me slightly nervous when you move unexpectedly. But, it'll be better tomorrow." The pattern he'd traced had found its way down to the edge of my t-shirt, and I let my eyelids drop for a moment as hot hands found their way under it. He followed his earlier path back up, his fingertips light against my skin. My arms were folded between us, crushed against his chest, so I inched back, placing my palms flat against his muscles, feeling the slow rise and fall underneath.

"I want to try something." His voice had faded to a whisper, and my eyes opened, focusing on his face hiding in the darkness. Silence permeated the room, Ro and Em having long gone quiet, and the only sounds reaching my ears were my pulse beating its rhythm and my breaths matching Edward's as they mingled in the space between us. The gap was only a few inches wide, but it felt like a gaping maw. I wanted to leap over it, but I'd already hurt him more than enough for one day, even one lifetime.

His hand left my back, and he brushed the tangled hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear. He cupped my cheek. "Be very still. Don't move."

I froze myself, conscious of every single touch and sensation as we lay pressed to each other, my hands on his chest, his palm cradling my face, his firm legs trapping my own. Edward moved closer, the warmth of his breath on my lips growing until they tingled in anticipation. Time seemed to slow as my need to feel him amplified.

His mouth grazed across my lips, and it felt like torture, but he held my face firmly and I restrained my need from pushing itself out and crushing against him.

His lips made a second pass, this time increasing the pressure. I had to move a part of my body to release some tension so I hooked my leg farther around his, feeling his muscles contract as he responded, locking my leg in place.

"Still." The growled order froze and melted me in the same breath. His tongue flicked out and tortuously ran across my lips. I opened my mouth to him; a puff of arousal mingled with frustration left in a breath.

I let him explore my lips and mouth for a second, but I couldn't stop myself, desperate to feel more. I wrapped my tongue around his, trapping it with my teeth until he hissed, pressing his hips firmly against mine which nearly sent me over the edge.

"Do you have any idea how much I want you?" He spoke in a hushed tone, gravel and velvet pulled together in words that shot liquid heat through my core.

His mouth captured mine, our tongues probing deep together, tasting and pulling and giving until I felt I would explode. Edward's hand left my face and found its way to my hip. Reaching for my thigh, he hooked it roughly over his own—the frictions hitting the perfect spot.

A needy whimper fell from my mouth, and I lost my mind. Tunneling my fingers into his hair, I crashed my lips to his.

"Owww. Fuck." Edward's words shot out like a bullet, shocking us both back to reality.

"Shit. Are you okay? I'm sorry. I totally forgot." I sat up in a flash, reaching for his face, but he held his hands up.

"Give me a moment. I'll be okay in a second." He'd covered his nose with his hands, protecting it from me. I'd never felt more awful.

"I'm sorry. Can I get you anything? I could go and get some ice, or maybe some painkillers?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm good." He pulled me back down, enveloping me in his arms, and pressed a tentative kiss on my hair. "Stop apologizing. I'm okay."

"I get a bit carried away. I can't help it." I buried my nose into the crook of his neck, relishing the scent on his soft skin.

"I know I'm irresistible."

"You are," I mumbled, brushing my lips against his skin. "Maybe we should wait until your nose is better. I'm not sure I can control myself."

"I don't think I can wait that long, but the throbbing pain has kind of killed the throbbing elsewhere for now."

We both laughed for a moment until we settled back into quiet contemplation.

My eyelids were heavy, sleep and contentment dragging them down. "Edward?" I whispered. His breathing had deepened, and his hands stilled their ministrations across my skin.

"Yes." His voice croaked, thick with sleep.

"I thought when I met you, perhaps we were meant for each other but we'd met at the wrong time."

He didn't speak, his hands doing the talking as they brushed like a feather up and down my arm, soothing and reassuring.

"I've changed my mind about that. I think we met at the right place _and_ at the right time. We've just been given a few obstacles to get over first. Like one of your boot camps."

Laughter rumbled in his chest and into my cheek as I continued. "It's not going to be easy, and I'm going to have to learn how to deal with some of them, but I'm not a quitter, and I know what I want. And, I don't know if you've met me, but I'm kinda stubborn, and I tend to get my own way."

He chuckled into my hair. "Bella, what I said before about wanting you. I didn't just mean in that moment. I want you. I want all of you, every piece, and I want you to have every part of me. I've given you my heart, and if you have to go back to America with Ro, I want you to take it with you. It's yours now."

I could feel tears beginning to sting the edges of my eyes. I didn't want to spend a second longer without him in my life. "I will bring it back to you."

"You will?" Edward's voice was strangled, and his arms tightened their grip around me.

"I will, because it belongs with mine." I traced my fingertip over his chest, tapping it directly over his beating heart.

I didn't think he could squeeze me tighter, but he did. "I love you, so fucking much."

I smiled, pressing my face into his neck. "I love you and your dirty fucking mouth, too."

That night I dreamt of Edward, waking only when strong arms carried me across the room. They lay me onto cool sheets, startling me from the depths of my sleep until hot heat wrapped back around me, and I was safe again. I was home.

* * *

_**AN:** __Thank you for reading. Have a good weekend xoxo_

**Fic Recs**

**The Other Way** by **Honeybeemeadows** – This fic blew my mind. The writing is hypnotic and absolutely beautiful. I was utterly hooked by it and it's still not let me go.

_Men, like jewels, require a setting. Even if the setting is the last place you'd expect._

**Fringe Benefits** by **Chocaholic123** – The fantastic and seriously HOT oneshot. Winner of the Taste of the Forbidden Public Vote.

_In the hot, humid Virginia summer, Bella juggles real life responsibilities with baby sitting in an effort to prepare financially for college. Enter Edward Cullen: sexy, older, and very married, with a body that Bella simply can't ignore. Suddenly, the weather isn't the only thing that is sweltering on the fringe of Bella's life._

Come and say hello over in my FB group **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** (link is on my profile) for teasers but mainly for a whole lot of lovely Rob.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	25. Hang Cleans

**AN:** _Thank you for all the reviews, follows and rec's._

_Love to Chocaholic123, cutestkidsmom, and Katie Boberg for prereading and to jcat5507 and mcc101180 for beta'ing._

_SM owns Twilight_

* * *

**~o~o~o~o~o~ Hang Cleans ~o~o~o~o~o~**

* * *

I tried not to flinch every time the pedicurist ran her thumb over the arch of my foot, but I'm way too ticklish. Ro rolled her eyes at me. She's used to being pampered—by Emmett, apparently.

"So what did he say after he spoke to them?" I asked, trying to ignore the uncomfortable pressure on my foot as the woman grips it harder, tired of my wriggling. Emmett had a call early this morning; he'd been given the green light to move to America. And, that was why we were in a spa while the boys were traipsing across London to visit the British Embassy, setting the wheels in motion for Em's visa.

"He asked me to marry him," Ro replied, flicking the page of a glossy gossip magazine over.

"What?" I yanked my foot out of the woman's hand to turn to Ro, only realizing what I'd done when she cleared her throat. I was going to end up with the shittiest pedicure known to mankind if I wasn't careful. "Oops, I'm sorry."

Ro still hadn't answered, so I raised my voice instead of using body language. "Again, Ro, what?!"

"I said, he asked me to marry him when he heard the news."

"I got that the first time. What did you say?"

"I threw a hash brown at his head." She closed the magazine and folded her hands on her lap, turning to face me.

"What? Why did you have a hash brown?"

"For breakfast."

"But we all had breakfast together downstairs at the hotel." I'd definitely not seen any flying fried food, never mind a marriage proposal.

"Well I was hungry, and I'm eating for two you know." She patted her little bump.

"I feel like I've eaten for two." My jeans were digging in around my waist. I knew that extra portion of sausage, eggs and bacon was a bad idea.

"Maybe it's like a sympathy pregnancy. I've heard of that. You have symptoms too because you feel so sorry for your poor friend who's having a baby." She pouted a little, and I had a feeling she wanted me to have this condition.

"I'm sure Em will love to do that for you. He already eats enough for a family with quadruplets." I took the magazine out of her lap, turning my attention to the quiz titled "How to tell what your man wants in bed."

I only got to question two before I heard a sniffle and looked over to see her blue eyes brimming with tears. "What's the matter? I'm sure Em won't really eat that much." I panicked, trying to backtrack on whatever I'd said to cause them.

"It's not that. I-I'm just being silly." She brushed the tears away from her cheeks and sat up straighter. Pushing her blond curls over her shoulder, she plastered a smile on her face that was so fake it made her look a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

I took her hand, careful not to smudge the "London Bus" red polish she'd just had applied. "Tell me, Ro."

Her forehead creased into a worried frown. "Emmett doesn't think his visa will come through for a few months, and he has to serve out notice on his job before he can leave. He's not going to be coming over for a while, but I think I have to go back sooner, and I'm … worried."

"But you can still fly up to about eight months, right?" I didn't really know, but I hazarded a guess that was right as Ro nodded her head.

"Yep, but when I spoke to our tutor about transferring … I have to go between modules to keep my credits and start the new modules back at UW." She started to chew on the brand new nails on her other hand, but I pulled it away before she ruined them.

"So you're going to have to go soon?" I asked, trying to remember when our module finished. My head had been so full of Edward and Lauren and then lots and lots more Edward that studying had gone out of the window.

"Three weeks." She barely whispered it, and though she hadn't asked, the hesitant look in her eyes told me enough. She wanted me to go with her. I'd already explained to Edward that I would be there for Ro whatever happened; I just hadn't expected to have to cash in my loyalty checks quite so soon.

"Ro, I will be there with you." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, her face lit up, and she was glowing like all pregnant women should. The last thing I wanted was for her to be stressing about anything. I loved Ro's mom dearly. but she was a bigger worrier than her daughter, and Ro would need a calming influence in her life. If Emmett couldn't be there, I would be until he could.

"But, Edward and …"

"I love Edward, and I want to be with him more than anything, but I want to be there for you, too. He's a big boy. He can handle himself until I come back." She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed the ever-loving shit out of me. Now, I just had to tell him I was going home and soon. My chest felt tight when I thought of leaving him, but I focused on the plan. We'd be together at the end of it, and it would be worth the wait.

We met back up with Edward and Emmett with a spectacle of PDA that usually I would be horrified by, but there wasn't a bone in my body that wanted to stop the way his lips felt on mine or the way his hands held my body close to his. I did, however, stop it when they found their way into my jeans, cupping my bottom in the middle of Trafalgar Square.

A whistle-stop tour around a few more sights, a sleepy train ride back home, and we all piled through the door to their apartment, dead on our feet.

I flopped onto the couch, pulling my Chucks off. The soles of my feet felt like they'd been sanded down, and I had a huge blister on my heel. I picked at it until Edward told me off and warned me about the risk of infection in his authoritative army voice that made me crazy for him.

He made me get showered, and I crawled into his bed, waiting for him to return from his own shower. A sigh of satisfaction escaped my lips when he climbed in and wrapped his slightly damp body around mine.

"I've been dying to do this all day." He nuzzled into my neck, pulling me even closer to him. My eyes closed automatically in pleasure. There is no better feeling than lying in the arms of someone you love in a warm bed, a jigsaw of contentment.

"Edward, did Emmett tell you their plans?" I shuffled over to face him, tangling my legs through his.

He brushed my hair back from my face, leaving his hand resting on my neck; its weight was comforting as he caressed the skin where my pulse beat out its rhythm. "He did."

"Ro needs to go home in about three week, and I …"

"You're going with her. I know, beautiful." He brushed his lips across mine and buried his face into my neck. I could feel his hot breath in my hair, soothing in its warmth and realness.

We didn't speak for a minute, but I wanted time to stand still, to stay like this with him.

"Bella, I love you like I've never loved anyone before, and I don't want you to leave me, so much it hurts, but it's self-inflicted. It's my fault that we're in this position." I really didn't want him to start feeling guilty for staying with his family, even if it did include Lauren.

"Hey, how come you get all the blame, huh?" I joked, tickling his side, but he didn't so much as move. "You know that I'm coming back?"

"I know, but I can't help but feel you're giving up everything for me, and I should be the one doing that."

"Really? I thought relationships were supposed to be about equals and a lot of give and take." I twisted my fingers into his hair, playing with the soft strands.

"I don't want to take from you, Bella. I want to give you everything." He moved back and watched me. His face was pained, and I hated it. I wanted to see his smile light up his eyes and curl his lips in the way I'd fallen in love with.

"How about this? I'm going to do this thing for Ro. Then I will come live with you, and you can spend the rest of your life giving me everything?"

"Why are you so amazing?"

"I was born this way," I joked, and his fingers found my sensitive sides as he tickled and kissed me senseless.

Once I'd got my breath back and I lay with my head on his chest, lulled into a doze by his steady breathing, he spoke, "Bella, I want to show you something. It might help you to understand things with Riley a little more."

I twisted my head around, and finding his jaw with my lips, I pressed a lingering kiss. A twinge of worry bubbled low in my stomach at what he was going to reveal. "Okay."

I sat up and put the pillow between my back and the cool wall, pulling my knees up and the sheets around me, watching as Edward pick a book off his bookshelf. The muscles in his back flexed under his skin in the dim light, and it made my fingers itch with the need to touch him.

He handed me a dog-eared copy of _Catch-22_ and got back under the covers, positioning himself next to me so that his arms brushed against mine.

"You wanted to show me this?" I held it up.

He found my thigh under the covers and curled his hand around until his fingers were tucked underneath. "No, what I keep in it."

Confused, I flicked through the book. The musty smell from the yellowed pages surrounded us as I spotted a folded piece of paper nestled inside. I pulled it out and saw Edward's name scrawled on the front in distinctively masculine writing.

My pulse stumbled over itself as I realized what he was showing me. "I can't read this, Edward. It's private."

"Open it. Please. I want you too." He rested his chin on my shoulder, his bristles scratching my bare skin when he moved.

I painstakingly unfolded the piece of paper, terrified to rip such a treasured possession. Hot tingles edged my eyes, but I blinked away the impending tears, not wanting my emotions to affect Edward, and focused on the words that filled the single page—Riley's words to Edward.

* * *

_Hey E,_

_I guess you know if you've gotten this letter that I'm not here anymore, but if you're reading it, then it means that YOU are still here, and for that I cannot be more grateful._

_I'm not sure when exactly you will receive this, straight away or after all the drama has died down, but I hope like hell that you're not crying while you're reading it. I want to see that smile when I'm looking down on you from heaven, (cause we all know I'm there sitting on a fluffy cloud and eating barbeque ribs with a cold beer, the good shit, not that cheap stuff) and if you're not smiling, well, I'm gonna haunt you, and I know you sure as shit don't want that._

_I've known you pretty much all my life, and I want you to know that you are my best friend. I couldn't have asked for a better one. From putting up with ant farms and jars of worms, my obsession with Jessica "Big Tits" Stanley (yeah, yeah I know you're rolling your eyes right about now. I definitely dodged a bullet there—probably not the best metaphor to use here, but whatever), then you've been my wingman out here in the desert. You are loyal down to your muddy boots, and I wouldn't want anyone else by my side._

_I suppose I should be telling you which bits of my stuff you can keep, but you know what Laurie's like. I'll leave it down to her, but if I do get a choice in the matter, I want you to have my cameras. Maybe one day you'll learn how to use them._

_I did think about leaving you loads of ridiculous last wishes like: I want my ashes scattered, mid bungee jump, over the Grand Canyon, but there's only really one thing that I worry about. I know you'll be all right, and my parents will struggle, but they have each other, but Laurie, I can't bear the thought of leaving her behind, E. Will you keep an eye on her? Make sure she gets good grades, kick any no good boyfriends into shape, and wind her up—all standard, big brother stuff. I know you do all that anyway, but I just wanted to make sure._

_Please don't be sad for me, E. I had a fuck-awesome life while it lasted, even if it was over too early. You know what they say—Life is short—but love isn't, and I will always love you._

_Take care of yourself, my friend._

_Your bud,_

_Riley. _

* * *

I couldn't stop the tears that streamed down my cheeks as I read, realizing the poignant words of Riley's letter were forever etched into Edward's skin. My heart broke over and over at every sentence for what they'd lost, and I knew, from that moment, that my decision to move to England to be with Edward was the right one.

I folded it up and gently tucked it back into his book, placing it on the bedside table before I turned and got onto my knees facing Edward, who was watching me with a nervous sadness dancing across his downcast eyes as he chewed on his lip.

Taking his face in my hands, I lifted it until he looked at me, wanting him to see my love for him when I spoke.

"Edward, you are everything to me already. I love you with every single cell in my body, so much that I think sometimes I might explode." I smiled at him, and his arms snaked around my waist, effortlessly lifting me onto his lap. "I wish I could change your past, because I'd give anything to be able to meet Riley _and_ to mend you here." I covered his bare chest with my hand, feeling his heart beating underneath. "But I can't, so I want to learn about him, so I can love him as much as you do."

"He would have loved you." He laughed, fanning his hands across my ribs. "I might have had some competition."

"No, you wouldn't have." I held his gaze, and the air heated between us as it always did. "It's you. It's always just been you."

Edward let out a gust of breath and crashed his lips to mine. He tangled his fingers into my hair, tracing his tongue around my lips until I opened to taste him, tilting until I could press harder and deeper, wanting to pour everything I was feeling into my kiss. I raked my fingers through his hair, tensing them until his moan vibrated though our mouths, tongues hot and caressing, dancing up a heat that set my whole body on fire.

He pulled back, finding the hem of my camisole and peeling it over my head, his mouth landing between the valley of my breasts, his breath hot as he sucked the soft skin into his mouth, and I arched into him.

"Fuck, I've missed this." His words were muffled by the curve of my breast as he traced a hot, wet trail to my nipple that tightened in anticipation of his mouth. As soon as he covered it with warmth, swirling his tongue around the edge, I forgot all the reasons I'd wanted to take it slowly. The slick heat pooled between my legs, zapping everything other than the feel of his mouth, his hands, him.

His attention turned to my neglected breast, but he covered the other with his palm, circling and pinching until I could barely breathe. I ground my hips down onto him, feeling his hardness beneath me. Too far away.

He got the message and flipped me over so fast that I was confused for a moment, until his weight between my legs set off another round of whimpers. Only my cotton shorts and his boxers the barrier between us.

Edward ran his hand down the side of my thigh, curling his fingers around the back on my knee and pulling it up and around him, rolling his hips right where I was desperate for him. I moaned out his name and started wriggling to get us naked—there were way too many clothes for my liking, but he pinned me down. His breath fanned across my face as he looked down at me.

"Edward," I whined, desperate for him to move.

"Hush." He leaned down and peppered kisses from my cheek, down to my ear. He ran his tongue around the edge and sucked on my earlobe for a second before he returned to looking at me.

"I'm never going to let you go, Isabella Swan." His voice was low and husky with lust, but his words settled into my body and into my bones.

"I wont let you. You're stuck with me now." I tightened my legs around his hips, pushing my pelvis into him, eliciting a groan that increased my desperation for him tenfold.

"I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be stuck with."

"Good. Now, shut the fuck up and kiss me."

He did and, within moments, ripped my shorts and his boxers down, settling back where he belonged.

Delirious with lust, I bucked against him as he held my hips and lined himself up at my entrance; a mew escaped my lips, matching his groan as he slowly pushed into my slick heat. "Fuck, you feel too good. Too fucking good. I can't …"

I didn't ask what he couldn't do, because I lost the ability to speak as he pulled out and thrust back in, building up a rhythm that stoked the fire low in my stomach. I clawed onto his back, wanting to bring him nearer, wanting more.

He pulled out of my grasp, and I cried out at the loss of his warmth. A strangled sound left my mouth as he lifted my hips, deepening his thrusts as I balanced my legs on his shoulders. His hands were rough on my pebbled nipples, sensations building everywhere he touched, desire bubbling up, and I felt the coil beginning to tighten.

His mouth fell back onto my chest, biting my skin and sucking as he kept up his rhythm. He wrapped his arms under my back and lifted me up to him so we were face to face.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes were heavy and lust-lidded as I clung around his hard body, rolling my hips against him, hitting every single explosive nerve in my body. He pressed his brow to mine, and I breathed in his utterly masculine smell. Sweat, cologne, and sex invaded my senses as his fingers dug into my skin. The pleasure grew, and the waves rose up and over. I moaned the ecstasy of my release onto his lips, shuddering and clenching all around him until he followed. Cries of my name were lost into our harsh breaths.

Wrapped up in each other, our bodies slick with sweat and heat, his tongue slowly danced with mine. His taste indescribably good. His touch on my body, exquisite. Everything about him was irreplaceable.

"I love you," I murmured against his lips, tracing my fingers along the black ink that trailed up his side. Life is short. Love is forever.

"Always, Bella, fuck, I'll always love you. Every single moment for the rest of my life, I'll love you."

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_**AN:**__ Thank you for reading. oxox_

_Some of you may already know I'm writing a collab with Chocaholic123 – __**The Art of Getting Fluffed**__ by __**ChocolateSparrow**__ (Adventures of Pornward & Fluffella) _

_It's__ up for fic of the week at tehlemonadestand dot net. If you have the time to take a look, we would love your vote. There are loads of great fics up there, and it's a great site for fic recs._

_Another shameless plug – my o/s __**Orange Kisses and Peppermint Hearts**__ has been nominated for the for top ten completed in March on twifanfictionrecs dot com. I know this is a lot a votes to ask for, but it'd make my day. xox_

Come and say hello over in my FB group **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** (link is on my profile) for teasers but mainly for a whole lot of lovely Rob.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**.


	26. Side Bends

**AN:** _Love to my ladies Chocaholic123 and Katie Boberg for pre-reading and to jcat5507 and mcc101180 for beta'ing my Britishims out of me._

_SM owns Twilight._

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**~o~o~o~ Side Bend ~o~o~o~**

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"Ro, can you throw me a bottle of water?" I asked. I raised my hands to catch the missile she launched across at me, before she returned to frantically tidying away the mess around the kitchen. In other words, she crammed it into every available cupboard.

"Calm down, Ro. It's perfect. The boys won't be long, and you're breaking into a sweat."

Ro lifted her elbows in the air and fanned the chiffon material of the blouse away from her armpits. "That's not helping, B," she complained, pushing her loose curls back from her face and wafting it with her hands. "Is the heating on? Jesus, it's so warm. Oh my god!" She ran across the room and started straightening the cushions on the couch.

I gave up trying to calm her down and headed into Edward's bedroom to finish drying my hair—a bedroom I'd been staying in alone for the past week. I didn't linger on that thought for too long because in about ten minutes he would be home.

An unfortunate, mandatory training course had limited the time before our impending departure. Our flight was leaving in three days, and Edward and Emmett had been away for five. I was sure the universe was conspiring against us. I'd spent the first two days sulking until he'd introduced me to the world of phone sex, and now our separation wasn't looking so daunting after all. The same couldn't be said for my phone bill that dropped through the letter box this morning with a thunk loud enough to make my bank account wince.

The lump in my throat returned when I thought about leaving again, but Ro's yelp, and the sound of deep voices in the hallway, replaced it with my own squeal, and I ran out of the room to see him.

I didn't give Edward time to react, throwing myself at him and wrapping my legs around his hips and my arms around his neck, grabbing onto the rough khaki material of his uniform. He stumbled back, tripping over his kit bag, and we crumpled into a tangled pile on the floor. I kissed him as hard as I could until we were both breathless.

Edward broke away first. "I hope I get that kind of welcome when we see each other every day."

"You couldn't handle it," I joked, sitting up and straightening my strapless dress that was migrating south.

"Oh, I think I could." He growled, and grabbing my hips, he flipped me over. Hot tingles spread up my back where it scuffed across the cream carpet. He caged me with his elbows and teased a trail of kisses down my jaw. The fact that Ro and Emmett were privy to our show was irrelevant. I couldn't think about anything other than the weight of his body pressed against mine, but he wasn't as shameless as me. "Come on. There'll be plenty of time for this later."

I tried not to moan but failed miserably, and Edward laughed, helping me up off the floor. "I need a quick shower before everyone arrives." He leaned in and brushed his lips against my ear, the soft bristles scratching as he spoke. "I love you."

It was incredible the physical reaction those three small words could create— a blush, a tremor, a throb. They were a verbal endorphin. "I love you too."

Edward pressed a kiss against my cheek. "And, I'm going to show you all the ways I love you once I get you alone. The first being naked and underneath me."

Those words killed me.

He left me standing there a needy mess, and I wasn't sure I could put one foot in front of the other. Ro's laugh broke into my lust bubble, and I managed function, returning into the lounge where Ro and Emmett made me feel like a naughty school girl caught by her parents.

"Do you think you can manage to finish getting ready?" Ro snorted, making Em laugh.

"Har hardy ha. Yes, I can manage that." I flipped them off and sat crossed-legged on the floor in front of Ro, stealing her makeup which she'd neatly organized across the table.

"When is everyone coming anyway?" I set about curling my eyelashes.

"Alice and Jasper will be here pronto. Everyone else will be at the bar, and Jake said he'll meet us later after work."

I spun round with the curler still clutched in my hand, almost ripping my lashes out. "Owwww. Shit. Jake's coming?"

I glared at Ro, waiting for her to spill. "Em wanted to invite him for all his help at the hospital." She shrugged, returning to anally organizing her eyeshadows. Emmett held his hands up in surrender.

"Oh, okay." I snatched up the mirror and eyeliner, standing up and leaning on the breakfast bar for stability. I wondered whether it would be weird having him and Edward in the same room. I got my answer as soon as a freshly showered, and utterly mouthwatering, Edward, dressed in dark jeans and a tight black t-shirt, walked into the room and wrapped his arms around me.

"Who'd Em invite?" he asked, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Dr. Jake." Ro piped up, "You know the tall dark and handsome one." She winked over her shoulder at us and went to answer the knock at the door.

"Handsome if you're in a dark room, more like," Edward mumbled into my neck.

"What are you talking about? Are you jealous?" I joked, digging my elbow into his ribs and wiggling, but he pulled me tighter against him and growled into my ear.

"Don't do that, or we'll never leave this apartment and I don't think our guests want to see the things I want to do to you." His teeth captured the soft skin on the slope between my shoulder and neck and tugged, sucking it into his mouth.

"Edward." I could barely get the word out of my mouth, my tongue was so tangled up in a moan at the feelings he was creating in my body. "I have to get ready."

He chuckled, and his breath fanned across my skin, minty from his toothpaste. "You look perfect."

"Really?" I turned and cocked a brow at him, the one above the eye with the wiggly liner smeared across it, as Alice and Jasper arrived into the room, bearing bottles of wine and beer.

"It'll take more than that to make you anything less than perfect," Edward argued, still locking me in his arms.

"You're biased." I managed to escape by ducking under his arms.

He opened the fridge to grab a bottle of beer, removing the lid using the countertop with a smug smirk.

"Edward, you'll ruin the surface." I ran a hand over the edge of the granite.

"I want to ruin you." He quirked an eyebrow as he took a swig of his beer. I tutted but didn't draw my eyes away from his Adam's apple as it bobbed with his swallows. I wanted to lick from his beer-moistened lips, across his jaw and down the column of his neck until I got to it, sucking on his skin, tasting him until my knees were weak.

Edward knew it too. "Something I can help you with?"

I cleared my throat and narrowed my eyes at him, but I couldn't disguise the husk in my voice. "Move it!"

He laughed and grabbed a few more bottles, leaving a kiss on my forehead as he went to find the rest of the boys.

The bar we'd hired out was decidedly fancy for Ro and me, but Em had insisted on the best for his girl. He'd hired out the VIP area that was a monochrome heaven, and I was glad I'd tossed aside my geometric 60s style shift dress or I would have been mistaken for part of the furniture. My lips quirked as I remembered Edward's reaction to the structured red mini-dress I'd ended up in. I'd had to do my makeup again, twice, and we'd arrived half an hour late to catcalls and whistles.

Ro pulled us onto the dance floor immediately. Ali was overly emotional and was bursting into tears every ten minutes, killing us with cuddles and making us promise she could come visit. She was well and truly smitten with Jasper, and although we'd really miss her when we went home, they'd been talking about moving in together, so I knew she'd have plenty to keep her occupied.

My heels were already killing, so I sat on a high stool at the side, watching them twirl around each other, their bodies moving to their own rhythm, much to the bemusement of the other dancers. A tap on my shoulder made me spin around to see the dazzlingly white smile of Jake.

"We need to stop meeting like this," he joked.

"Are you stalking me?" I tilted my head to the side with a smirk.

"Maybe." His eyes fell onto my bare legs, and I found myself unconsciously pulling my skirt down, despite the fact there was hardly anything to pull.

"Are you and Ro having a good night? It was nice of Emmett to think to invite me." His smile was kind and genuine, but there was no doubt in my mind that he was attracted to me, and it was making me feel uncomfortable. I searched for Edward over Jake's shoulder, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Yeah, we are. It's sad to say goodbye to everyone. We've made some great friends, but it won't be long before I get to see them again." I wanted to jump up off the stool and get back to dancing with Ro and Ali, who both appeared to be auditioning for a role in _Dirty Dancing,_ which I wasn't sure was entirely appropriate for a mom-to-be.

"You're coming back to England?" Jake asked; his face lit up even in the dim bar. "Why?"

A pair of arms wrapped around my waist and brushed a kiss on my shoulder. His cologne was unmistakable. "She's coming to live with me."

Edward styled out his possessive display by holding his hand out to Jake. "I'm Edward."

Jake shook it and returned the greeting. Normally I would have been irritated by such a blatant display, but I couldn't have been happier to feel his hard body pressed up against my back. They both chatted for a few minutes before Jake excused himself to get a drink.

Edward twisted me around until he was standing in front of me. Cupping the back of my neck, he crushed his lips to mine in a mind-blowing kiss that left me thankful I was sitting down and blushing that we were in public.

Nuzzling into my neck, making me squirm from the ticklish sensation of his stubble, he whispered, "I leave you alone for a few minutes and the doctors descend."

"Well, you'd better not leave me alone ever again then." I tugged on the front on his t-shirt until his lips pressed against mine, tasting the sweet tang of beer mixed with the mouthwatering taste that was uniquely him.

"I'm not planning to." He smiled, brushing his thumb on my now swollen lips as Ro appeared by my side.

"B, I need a ladies visit, and Ali is otherwise engaged." We turned to stare at Jasper and Ali who were lost in their own little world, suckered to each other's faces. "You two looked easier to pry apart."

Edward helped me down from the stool, leaving a lingering kiss on my cheek. "Don't be long. I'll miss your face."

I floated along to the restroom on an Edward-induced high.

"How the hell does this work?" Ro waved her hands around the glass sinks. It seemed to me that the "poshness" of a place was usually in direct correlation to how long it took you to work out how to turn the taps on.

I waved my hands over a metal ball that set the water gushing out of a long gap like a mini waterfall. "Are you okay?"

She'd started to get tired in the evenings and we'd already been dancing for hours. Even pregnant, she managed to look gorgeous in a midnight blue dress that clung to her curves and her little bump. The four-inch heels even I couldn't wear on a normal day didn't seem to be fazing her either.

"I'm fine. Are _you_ okay?" She handed me my lipstick out of her seemingly bottomless clutch, and I slicked the nude color on, smacking my lips together to a roll of her eyes.

"Come here." She wiped away the overlap I'd smeared on my face. Maybe I was a little more worse for wear than I'd thought.

"B, I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate what you're doing for me." Ro curled her hand around mine and squeezed. "I know it's going to be hard for you and Edward to be apart."

I could feel the tears welling in my eyes both from her words and the pang in my heart when I thought of being so far away from him. Focusing on Ro and my parents helped me to stop from breaking down, but it was forced, and the alcohol running through my veins wasn't helping me control my emotions. "Thanks, Ro. I'm not going to tell you it won't be hard, but I love you, and you would do the same for me, so stop apologizing, and let's go and dance with our men."

We had a soppy, teary hug, professing our love to each other until we got a funny look from a girl who'd emerged from a stall. I could blame the drink, but Ro had no excuse, so she blamed the hormones. The girl's snooty nose didn't un-scrunch, and I was about to say something, vodka loosening my lips, but Ro dragged me away.

She pulled open the door and stopped dead in her tracks, causing me to bang into her back. "What are you doing?"

"Shhh." She pushed me back in and cracked the door an inch, peering into the hallway.

"What the hell are you doing?" I whispered into her ear in the only way a drunken person can—loudly. She wrapped her arms around my neck, slapping her hand over my mouth until I was in a headlock. "B, Edward is talking to Lauren. Can you shut up so I can hear?"

My heart and the contents of my stomach felt like they wanted to find the quickest exit from my body.

I nodded and she released me after giving a dirty look to the haughty blonde who was waiting behind us. "Just wait one minute," Ro hissed at her.

She let me move so I could see. Lauren was partially hidden by a wall, but I could see Edward, and relief washed over me when I saw he was standing away from her and that he looked decidedly pissed off.

"Why are you here?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest. I could see the muscles flexing from here, signaling that he was stressed.

"What? Am I not allowed to come to a bar without your permission?" Lauren's voice was whiney and set my teeth on edge.

"You know that's not why you've come. I think you should go home. You're not going to cause a scene." He rubbed his hand over his mouth, frustration paining his face.

"Fine, Edward, be like that, but when she goes home, don't expect for us to be friends," she seethed, and he closed his eyes for a moment, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"What the hell, Laurie? Of course we're friends, and Bella going home isn't going to change that."

"Whatever. You really think a long distance relationship will work? She'll forget about you, and I'll have to pick up the pieces. Well, I'm not going to." She huffed. She was deluded to think I would ever leave him.

"Laurie, I'm going to say this to you once, and I don't want to hear you questioning my relationship again. I love Bella. I love her more than I've ever loved anyone else before. It's not going to be a long distance relationship, because she's coming back to live with me."

In the pause, I heard Lauren's gasp and saw the self-satisfied smirk on Ro's face. My heart was pounding out of my chest. Hearing him say those things to someone else, and that someone being Lauren who he loved, somehow made them stronger, cemented them inside me as Edward continued, "And, I love you as well. It would mean the world to me if you and Bella could be friends."

Ro, Lauren and I all let out a mutual scoff, though ours were a lot quieter than hers. That wasn't going to be happening any time soon.

"She is my life now." His words hung in the air surrounded by silence, and I felt the tears that had been teetering on the edge escape down my cheek. "She's giving up a lot to come and live over here, and she's doing it so I can continue to be a part of _your_ life. So please, can you have a little more respect for that? And for me. I've never done anything other than look out for you, but now it's your turn to be there for me. If you can't do that, then …"

Ro wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me to her, pressing a kiss on my mascara and tear-streaked cheek. "You're gonna be okay with him."

I nodded, smiling through my tears. "I know."

Presumably, Edward had walked away, because we heard a tap of high heels rapidly encroaching us, and we panicked, pulling back into the bathroom and racing into a stall, elbowing the irate blonde we'd unintentionally held hostage out of the way, as we locked ourselves in. Covering our mouths as tears turned to laughter, Ro tore of a piece of tissue and cleaned up my eyes, as we heard Lauren take about three minutes to figure out the taps.

A sob broke out from her mouth that froze our giggling. Hearing her weep and sniffle, cracked some of the ice around my feelings toward her. It was obvious to me that she was in love with Edward. I knew how that felt, and I was lucky enough to have my feelings reciprocated. I tried to imagine how it would feel if he didn't love me, and it was unbearable. I looked at Ro as she worried at her lip, and whispered. "Do I look okay?" She nodded. "Stay here I'm going to talk to her."

I slid back the lock and walked over to the bay of mirrors where Lauren, clad in a minuscule little black dress was vainly trying to reapply makeup when her eyes were still streaming with tears.

"Hey." Her blue eyes widened when she saw me, and she turned away, wiping her thumbs to clear the black smudges and blinking away tears.

"Are you okay?" I touched her elbow, and she turned around with a painfully false smile.

"Hey, Bella. I'm fine." The tone of her voice didn't match her expression— hurt swirled in her eyes, and the rims were bright red and swollen.

"Here." I handed her a tissue, and she took her time cleaning the streaks away.

She drew in a shuddering breath as I turned to lean my hip on the sink. "Lauren, I know we haven't got off to the best of starts, but maybe we should have a do-over."

Her forehead crinkled as she frowned. "A do-over?"

"You know, like, start again. Pretend all the stuff before didn't happen?"

She seemed to think about it for a really, really long time, and I was about to retract my offer, my irritation rising, when she finally spoke. "Yeah, I'd like that." For the first time since I'd laid my eyes on her, she gave me a genuine smile. It was small, and only lifted half of her lips, but it was better than I was expecting.

"Good." I held out my hand. "Hi, I'm Bella."

She narrowed her eyes a little, probably deciding whether I was drunk or a little crazy—likely both. "Lauren." We shook hands, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Can I come out now?" Ro yelled, bustling out of the stall and Lauren looked even more confused. She'd obviously decided that we were both lunatics.

"Do you want to come and join us?" I asked, but from the hint of hurt that flashed across her face, maybe spending the night with us was going to be too much after all.

"No. I'm beat. I think I'm going to go home. I'll see you around though." She waved at us both and left the bathroom.

"Well that was not how I expected your next meeting with Lauren to go," Ro admitted, fluffing her hair over her shoulder and linking her arm through mine.

"No. Me either. I was expecting some sort of smack down." I laughed.

"Yeah, I'm glad that didn't happen. I'm not in a fit state to be brawling." She poked her stomach. "Come on let's go and find the boys. They'll think we've been kidnapped."

We found them, propping up the bar, and at Emmett's grin at Ro, Edward spun around and reached out for me, pulling me into his arms. I melted into him, tipping my head back to look at him.

"Hey, you." His lopsided smile kicked up a flutter in my heart. "I missed you."

I stood on my tiptoes to reach his lips, rubbing my nose against his and kissing him softly. "I'm right here."

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**~o~o~o~o~o~**

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_**AN:**__ Thank you for reading, and to all of you who've reviewed and rec'd this story . I don't always get chance to respond but I really do appreciate every single one :)_

_Have a fab weekend. xoxox_

**Fic Rec's**

**Going Under** by **sparkInfade – **Totally hooked me in from the first chapter, and its setting gives us some much needed sunshine in this never ending winter!

_It's been 10 years since the summer Bella Swan's life changed. What will happen when she comes face to face with the reason for it? She went under once, will she go under again?_

**Books Rec's**

_**Graffiti Moon**__ by __**Cath Crowley**__ – a story of young love, witty and so beautifully written._

_**Me Before You**__ by __**Jojo Moyes**__ – I can't adequately describe how good this book is. Just go and read it (but be prepared to sob your heart out!)_


	27. Chapter 27

**AN:** _All the love to Chocaholic123 and Katie Boberg (the birthday girl!) for pre-reading and to jcat5507 and mcc101180 for beta'ing. I have since added a chunk on the end that is NOT beta'd and my skills leave a lot to be desired, so all mistakes are mine._

**_HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY KATIE CAKES. ILY. YOU ROCK. _**

_SM owns Twilight._

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**~o~o~o~ The Bridge ~o~o~o~**

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The loud rip of the masking tape echoed around the empty dorm room. All of our belongings were packed away—mine ready to go into storage and Ro's for shipping home. I was taping up the final box and scribbling instructions on its side, when there was a knock at the door.

I jumped up, stretched out my aching legs, and opened the door to reveal a devastatingly handsome Edward leaning against the wall, the edges of his sea-green eyes creased by his lopsided smile. "Hey, you."

He didn't waste any time saying hello. He had pulled his baseball cap backwards so that he had better access to my lips and neck and anywhere else he could reach. I was breathless from his enthusiastic greeting when he placed me back down on the floor.

"Have you finished packing?" He appraised the cardboard boxes piled up in the center of the room.

"Yep. That's the last one. Those three are mine, plus the suitcase, and the others are Ro's. Are you dropping them off into storage now?" We were leaving on the red-eye the following night, and last-minute preparations were in full flow. I felt like I was moving from one task to the other in a daze, like I was having an out-of-body experience. It was my way of doing something that I really didn't want to.

The lump in my throat, and the heaviness lying in my stomach like a ball of metal, became more solid at every pass of the hour hand. I wasn't fully aware of the hustle and bustle around me, but I couldn't have been more conscious of the hours and minutes left until we would be leaving. The countdown was a constant in my mind; I tick it off on my fingers and in my head, and I even resort to using the calculator on my phone. I was driving myself nuts, never mind Edward, who'd banned me from mentioning it.

"Nope. Dad's going to come and pick them up this afternoon. We're free to do what we want." He smiled at my confusion. Storage for my things was going to be in Esme and Carlisle's garage. They popped over the day before to say good bye, or as Esme termed it—not good bye, just see you soon. Her tight hug had me in tears again; although, it could have been something to do with the excruciating pinball that was rolling around my head.

Edward ended up carrying me home, a blubbering snotty mess, and put me to bed. He'd been unable to understand a word I was saying, and I couldn't remember a thing either. He did say I kept trying to get him naked, but as my seduction techniques were accompanied by a soundtrack of sobbing, he'd turned me down.

"Oh, but what about Ro's stuff, and my suitcase?"

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. "I want to take you out. I want to spend our last night together somewhere special." He spotted the tell-tale quiver of my lip. "Don't cry, I've not finished yet," he warned with a chuckle. "I want it to be something you remember while you're away, and if you spend the whole time looking at the clock and crying, it's not going to be much of a memory. So will you promise me you'll just enjoy it for the moment and stop thinking about anything else?"

I had to bite down hard onto my lip. How was I supposed to not cry when he was being all romantic? Not daring to open my mouth for fear of the sob that might escape, I nodded.

"Good. Are you ready now?" He curled his fingers around my hand and tipped his head to the door.

"But, what do I need?" I pointed at my suitcase, trying to think of all the places we could go and potential outfits and toiletries I'd need.

"You just need yourself. Ro sorted some stuff out for you. It's in Em's car. He's letting us borrow it." He tugged me out of the room, locking the door behind us.

Walking down the long promenade, the salty air brought me back to life. The sweet smell of the purple-tipped lavender, filling the flower beds, mixed with the sea breeze, giving it a sweet edge. Edward had brought me back to our beach. Seagulls screeched overhead, circling on the lookout for some tasty morsels left by the tourists who bustled through the small seaside town, and the long stretch of yellow sand was dotted with people enjoying the warm spring sunshine.

"Come on, let's walk along the beach." Edward headed to the stone steps that were carved into the rocks, leading to the wet sand. The tide was out, revealing shining puddles and treasures from the sea across the whole beach. Barefoot children scoured the shoreline, filling their colorful, plastic buckets with all manner of shells and seaweed. Edward had swung me up into his arms when a crab had scuttled across my feet, and I'd screamed bloody murder. We'd walked far enough away from the other vacationers that I hadn't shattered their much needed peace.

"I can't believe you brought me here." I grinned at him, gripping tight on to his hand, my sandals dangling from my other.

"You're glad I did?" He'd taken off his baseball cap, and his hair was windswept, making it look more catastrophic than normal. I'd already tangled my fingers in it numerous times to capture his warm lips, oblivious to the tides that caught up with us and swirled around our feet.

"Of course! I couldn't have thought of a better place. If you'd dragged me to a boot camp, I would have definitely cried." I elbowed him in his ribs bouncing us apart, but he tucked me back into his side with his arm hanging loosely around my shoulders.

"Good 'cause I've got a surprise for you." We'd walked the whole length of beach and returned to the bright huts that lined the dunes.

"A good surprise?" I narrowed my eyes at him while he thought through his answer.

"Ummm … yes, elements of it are good." He tossed me the metal key with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"Elements? This sounds ominous." I climbed the creaky stairs to the blue wooden hut. Memories of our first night together flittered into my mind, making my cheeks flush and my lips turn up in a smile. I wrangled the rusty lock for a moment until it sprung open, revealing the inside of the hut which had been totally transformed.

Gone were the higgledy-piggledy baskets and the rickety desk. Instead, a two-seater, cream couch was pushed up against the back wall with a small table next to it. The wicker baskets had been replaced by a row of blue and white striped boxes, no doubt still hiding a mismatch of anything and everything you could need for the beach. A beautiful, golden, blue and white pattern rug covered the wooden floorboards.

A stunning selection of photographs was framed on the walls. I recognized Riley's style immediately, but instead of black and white, these were bursting with color and depicted summer days of sandcastle building and diving into the waves. I noticed a picture of a young Edward and Riley, their skinny legs sticking out of swim shorts. A small, pretty little girl with blond hair, lightened by the sun and curled by the saltwater, stood between them, her face beaming and her chubby hands clasped onto the boys.

"Do you like it?" Edward entered the small space and paused by the door.

I spun around, flinging my arms around him. "It's beautiful. When did you do all this?"

He shrugged with a wry grin. "Mum helped. I suggested it might need a bit of a revamp after our, er … uncomfortable night."

"It's absolutely amazing. You know I'm never going to leave, right?" I kissed his lips then unwrapped myself, testing out the couch, bouncing up and down on the cushion until he laughed.

"I'd hoped you'd say that. It gives you something to look forward to coming back to."

I froze mid-bounce and held out my hand, tugging him down next to me. "Edward, I don't need anything else to look forward to. You're more than enough."

If the hut had been lighter, I was sure the tips of his ears would have been pink.

"What part of this isn't a good surprise?"

"Well…" He crouched down on his knees and rummaged about in one of the larger boxes, pulling out something black and rubbery. He held it out to me. "You might not think this is a good surprise, but I promise if you trust me, it will be amazing."

I crooked an eyebrow at him. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes." He dropped the wetsuit onto my lap. "It's your size. I checked."

"Oh well. That's a shame. I'm never going to be able to wear it. I'm sure someone else would get much more use out of it."

Edward crouched back down onto his haunches in front of me. "Bella."

"Yes, Edward."

"Trust me."

I opened my mouth to speak, but he held a finger up and pressed it to my lips. His face was full of excitement, and his crooked smile, goddamn owned my heart. The cold water and unknowns that lurked in the deep seemed less scary when he looked at me like that.

"Trust me." He repeated again.

I sighed and huffed and whined for a minute, just so he didn't think I was caving in too easily. He remained tight-lipped until I'd finished, even though I could see the smile quirking the dimple into his cheek as he held back his grin.

"Okay. Just this once."

He celebrated as if his beloved soccer team had won the cup final. Oh Jesus.

I wriggled into the torture device otherwise known as a wetsuit, pulling it over the red-and-white striped bikini that Ro had deemed suitable for a dip in icy water. Even stripping off my clothes in front of him and putting on the tiny scraps of material as seductively as possible didn't change Edward's mind. He even laughed when I got my toes tangled in a tassel of the bikini bottoms as I pulled them up, almost face-planting into the floor.

I would have been mortified and totally offended if he hadn't helped me to my feet, whispering, "Don't think I'm letting you get away with that little tease. I'm storing up my plans for you until later."

I'd huffed and stomped down the wooden steps, immediately stamping back up to grab my coat, which he snatched out of my hands, telling me I didn't need it, and so I stomped back down again empty handed and spurred on by his laughter.

Edward crawled into the shadows, under the hut, while I waited. I gave up trying to zip up the back of the suit. The cool breeze was already making me shiver as he reappeared with a yellow and white surfboard, his own wetsuit hanging low on his hips, his broad chest bare.

"You can surf?" I asked, swivelling around and pointing at my back. "Can you do me up?"

He stabbed the pointed end of the board into the soft sand, and I felt his warm hands slide into the back of the wetsuit, absolutely not zipping it up. "Edward!" I warned, wriggling away, but he held on to the long bit of material of the zip, and as I walked away, it tightened and I pinged right back to him.

"Yes, I can surf." He kissed the nape of my neck as he slowly pulled the wetsuit closed, cutting off my circulation and my ability to breathe. "And yes, I can do you." His hands wrapped around my waist, and I couldn't feel much through the thick black rubber, but I could definitely feel that _yes, _he could definitely do me. Right away, I hoped.

I had no such luck, because with a slap on my ass, he grabbed his board, tucking it under his arm, and holding my hand with his other, he led me down to the sea.

"I'll just wait here and watch you." I stood with my arms crossed as he wedged the board in the sand and hoisted me up onto his shoulder as if I weighed as much as a cloud.

"Edwaarrdddd!" I screamed, battering his back. "Put me down, right now."

"Nope. This is the only way you'll get in, and you'll be thanking me after." I couldn't stop the giddy laugh that bubbled up as he strode into the swirling water, the roar of the waves accompanying my squeals.

"Please, don't throw me in. I promise I'll get in, just don't throw me."

The water was already up to his waist, but he stopped, listening to the pleading tone in my voice and righted me, sliding my body down his. As soon as my bare feet touched the frigid water, I scrambled back up him, wrapping my legs around his waist and clinging onto his neck. "We forgot the shoes," I cried.

He gave a hearty laugh and kissed me. "You are so cute sometimes. There aren't any shoes. Your feet will get used to it."

"They won't." I pouted, and he replied with another kiss, running his tongue across my lips, digging his fingers into my bottom and pulling me tightly against him. He tasted like coconut suntan lotion he'd insisted we put on, after warning me of the dangers of hidden rays, ignoring my argument that you wouldn't get burned in weather you needed to wear a coat and scarf in.

Edward deepened his kisses, tilting his head and running his hands to my waist, pressing me harder against him as I tangled my fingers in his salt-swept hair. The ebb and swell of the waves around us seemed to fade, and it was just the two of us, his tongue tasting me, his breath warming my face, and his hands holding me tightly. Then I realized, I was chest deep in the sea-green water.

I gasped, feeling a wave pass over my shoulders, brushing above the collar of my wetsuit and onto my bare skin. "You." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I told you it wasn't that bad." He shrugged, dipping his head to kiss me again. "Let's go under."

I wriggled my toes into the moving sand beneath my feet but was shifted with each passing wave. He was right—it wasn't bad. Jesus, I hadn't even noticed. I needed to pay more attention, or he could get me involved in all sorts without my knowledge. The black rubber was keeping me warm, and even my feet weren't cold, or perhaps they were numb. "Okay, but quick before I think about it."

I ducked my head under the water for only a second, but I could already feel the brain freeze like you get after a mouthful of vanilla ice cream. Edward laughed at my spluttering, never letting go of my hand as I wrapped myself around him again. We bobbed in the waves, lost in our own world. I'd no idea how long we'd been like that, but when we stopped for a breath, I half expected we'd floated to France, but we hadn't drifted far.

"Why don't you go for a swim while I surf?" He tugged me back to the shallows, running enthusiastically to get his board.

I opened my mouth to say no, but then thought what the hell. So after watching Edward masterfully take on the waves with my mouth hanging wide open in awe, I went for a swim, keeping parallel to the shore. He was absolutely right; I adored every second of it, especially the part when he chased me up to the hut and peeled me out of my wetsuit, his ministrations spilling every type of moan from my mouth.

As the sun sank into the sea, setting fire to the horizon and singeing the clouds pink, he sent me off into the village to pick up some food he'd ordered. He was definitely up to something, so I didn't argue, even though my arms ached as I carried the heavy wicker picnic basket back along the quiet beach.

I gave up and left the basket on the sandy wooden steps and went to find Edward. I was shaking out the aches and stretching my cramping fingers as I walked up the stairs, but the sight that greeted me when I swung open the door made me forget everything else.

The inside of the hut was lit by pinpricks of warmth from fairy lights strung around the edge of the room, but the biggest shock was the double bed, set up with thick sky-blue and white striped bed covers. "Oh my god. Where's the sofa gone?"

Edward was sitting on its edge, and he pulled me between his legs. "This _is_ the sofa. I thought it would be a good idea, seeing as I plan for us to spend a lot of time here, and I can't have you sleeping on the floor."

I ran my hands over the soft covers and raised an eyebrow. "You weren't worried about where I was 'sleeping' this afternoon," I joked, my eyes darting to the rug peeking out from under the bed.

"Well, I couldn't wait, and that was your fault for prancing around in that bikini and then that tight wetsuit." He pressed his face into my stomach and growled, the vibrations heading straight through to the warm heat between my legs.

"I love it. Thank you, but I'm definitely not leaving. Even if Ro calls me while she's in labor I'm not going." I mussed up his hair with my fingers.

"Yes, you will, but we can come back here anytime we want." He tipped his head to look at me. "Did you manage okay with the food?"

"Umm … well, it's outside, but I dropped it twice and had to drag it a little way, so it might be a little squashed and probably sandy," I admitted.

"Sounds delicious." He stood up, and grabbing a tartan picnic blanket, ushered me outside, hoisting the basket onto his shoulder like it was as light as a feather, as we walked along to the sea grass dotted dunes.

Edward spent about ten minutes finding a perfectly secluded spot, spreading out the blanket and securing it with our shoes. I settled between his legs, leaning against him, and we sat enjoying the quiet rush and run of the waves and the beautiful colors splashed across the sky. I felt the rise and fall of Edward's chest behind me as he wrapped me in the protective circle of his arms with his chin resting on my shoulders and his warm breath tickling my cheek. I willed the sun to stay where it was, but with every roll of the waves, the sun seemed to dip deeper, and the water withdrew with the tide as if it was draining into the hole the lowering sun had created, reminding me that my time with Edward was running out.

After we'd finished the cheese, fruit and most of a bottle of deliciously cold champagne, I turned in his arms so I could lean my cheek against his chest.

"Hey, you," he said, tightening his grip around me. The warmth from his body made my bare legs feel colder, so I tucked them up until I was almost a curled into a ball in his arms. I wanted to get as close to him as I could, fearful of wasting even a second of our remaining time together.

"Hey, you too. Thank you for this." I waved at the nearly empty picnic basket. "It's been a perfect day." My voice was starting to waver as I felt emotions pooling in my chest. Sadness and panic, but above everything else, love that was almost painful I felt it so keenly.

"Don't get sad yet. We've still got a whole night ahead of us." He chuckled and dipped his head to kiss the tip of my nose. "You're getting cold. Shall we go in?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. I want to stay here."

"Okay, hold on then. " Edward reached out, and I heard clinks as he put all the glasses and plates from our dinner into the basket, pushing it onto the sanddune. He pulled up the corners of the blanket, shaking them to get rid of the sand and wrapped it around us both. "Is that better?"

I lifted my head and took in his face in the fading light; he had a rosy hue from the last remnants of the day, catching fire to the tips of his hair. I ran a finger across a trail of salty sand that was left at the edge of his brow. He watched me without speaking; his eyes never leaving my face as I traced his cheekbones, along the golden scruff of his jaw and lastly across his lips. He was so handsome, he threw off the rhythm of my heart beat and set off a dance of butterflies in my stomach every time I saw him, but the thought I wasn't going to see him for so long trapped their wings in treacle. "You will wait for me won't you?"

"Come here." Edward lay back into the dune, pulling me with him until we were facing the darkening sky streaked with dusky pink. The soft sand cushioned our backs as my head rested in the crook of his shoulder. "You see the sky?"

I laughed lightly, but it was half hearted, my sadness threatening to spoil our last evening. I was warring with myself to stop my thoughts from jumping ahead of the present. "Yes, I see it."

"It reminds me of you," he said, his thumb tracing circles on my arm.

"Me? Why?"

"Because whenever I look at it, I think of you. The day you first came to boot camp, it was so inky black I couldn't really see you no matter how hard I tried. The day I first kissed you, it was hidden above the tree tops, but I remember seeing the sun on your face when you smiled at me. Then there was the night we stayed out in the park, and I showed you the stars; then it was lit up brighter than I can ever remember. When we sat on the swings, it was bright blue. That day you told me I hadn't lost you, and I still had a chance to make you mine." Edward leaned up on his elbow and brushed some flyaway hairs, caught in the breeze, away from my face, tucking them behind my ear. "Do you remember when we came here and it was grey and heavy with clouds? It rained on us when we ran back to the hut, and I kissed you senseless on the beach?" His lips lifted into his lopsided smile.

"Yes. I remember all of those times." I was failing miserably in my attempts to hold back the tears.

"I can't even go outside without being reminded of you, Bella. Rain or shine, you're the first thing on my mind when I open my eyes and the last thing I think of before I fall asleep."

"You could stay indoors." I joked, kicking myself afterwards. I was never good at taking compliments.

"I could do, but then I'd be reminded of the times we spent in the beach hut, the library, under the covers of my bed, or your bed." He ran his hand along my side, finding my thigh under the hem of my shirt-dress. He skimmed his fingers across my skin, squeezing and holding me.

"I guess you're not going to forget me easily then." I reached for him, wrapping my hand around the nape of his neck and pulled him down to me.

"No, Bella Swan. I am never going to forget you. Ever. You're my sky." His breath fanned across my lips as he brushed a kiss there. "You're my stars." I tangled my fingers into his hair, coarse with sea salt, as he kissed away a tear that trailed down my temple. "You're my rain," he said, pressing his lips firmly against mine but pulling back when I tried to deepen the kiss. "You're my everything, and I love you."

"Edward." I cried out, unable to form anything more coherent under the chaos of emotions that surged through my body. I crashed my mouth to his, tears pouring down my face, as I brushed my tongue to his lips. He groaned, opening up to me until, frantically tasting each other with nips and licks, our tongues danced together. His hand slid up my leg and over my hip, grasping at the material of my dress, bunching it in his hands.

His lips dropped to my neck, scorching a trail down as I raked my nails into the back of his t-shirt, desperate to get it off him. The same desperation was evident in Edward as he fumbled to undo the buttons of my dress, revealing the flushed skin of my cleavage. He pushed down the edge of my lacy bra, releasing my breasts into the cool evening air, immediately capturing them with his hands and mouth.

I wrapped my leg over him, clawing to get closer, but he broke away with heavy breaths.

"Bella, I think we should go inside."

He didn't give me a chance to answer, scooping me into his arms and carrying me back into the warmth of the beach hut for what would be our last night together for a long while.

~o~o~o~o~o~

_AN:__Thank you for reading and for all your fab reviews. _

Fic Rec's

Osa Bella by Myg – _unbelievably the first AU fic I've ever read. I'm now hooked and on the hunt for more. It's truly amazing._

Bella is a school counselor, but Edward is a vampire posing as a student. Will Bella defy her head and follow her heart? Or will she conquer her desire and do what she believes is right? Not your daughter's/niece's/little sister's Twilight. Angsty.

Elemental by Talulahbelle – _again one I've had to read for a while and never got around too. Kicking myself now. Just brilliant. _

When the Swans return to their birthplace, Bella learns she is no ordinary teenager, and Forks is no ordinary town. Can she fulfill her destiny with the powerful Edward Cullen, or will the dark forces that threaten their families destroy them all?


	28. TipToe Lifts

**AN**: _Thank you SO much to everyone who voted on TLS last week. MSB came in the top 5! Huge thank you to **evilnat** for nominating me. She is fab._

_Thanks for my prereaders __**Chocaholic123, Katie Boberg**__ and __**Modern Safari, **__for polishing this chapter, and to __**jcat5507**__ and __**mcc101180**__ for beta'ing for me, and getting it back super fast._

_SM owns Twilight_.

My prereaders have told me I have to give you a tissue warning on this chapter….

* * *

**~o~o~ TipToe Lifts ~o~o~**

* * *

Edward barely let me walk up the stairs without stopping me with his lips or his hands. We'd hardly slept, snatching an hour or two before he'd woken me, with the sunrise spilling through the small window. He'd let me cry wrapped in his arms when I remembered it was time to leave. I'd never hated a sunrise more, but then he told me he loved me with a hundred different touches and kisses, and he promised that our time apart would be over before we knew it. I was doubtful, but I couldn't argue with his ministrations, and he had me smiling again not long after.

"Edward, stop it. You're crazy." I smacked the hand that was trying to find its way up my top.

"I'm crazy for you." He actually winked at me as he said it, and I rolled my eyes dramatically, though I secretly loved his lines.

We headed into the apartment, unknowingly stepping straight into a scene worthy of one of Esme's more romantic novels, or at least a parody of one.

Emmett was in some kind of half crouch on the floor in the middle of their living room. Ro was standing in front of him with a bemused smile on her face. "What is he doing?" I whispered to Edward.

Ro was clearly having exactly the same thought. "Em, what the hell are you doing?"

All became crystal clear when he clasped Ro's hand is his, bringing it to his broad chest and placing it over his heart.

Edward ignored the starry-eyed proposal taking place in front of us and headed into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator at the same time he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. "You want a drink?"

"Erm. Hello! I'm in the middle of something here." Emmett fumed, turning his attention back to Ro, who was barely containing her laughter.

"Come on, Em. You know I love you to bits, but my answer's still the same. Get up." Ro held out her hand for him.

"I'm gonna keep asking you 'til you say yes, Rosalie Hale. I mean it." He winced as he allowed her to pull him to his feet.

I watched him hobble over to the couch, which he slumped down onto with a defeated sigh. "Are you okay?"

"No, I hurt my back," he grumbled, and Ro giggled, curling up next to him. She kissed his cheek, and he huffed like a grumpy old bear, folding his arms across his chest in annoyance. I felt kind of sorry for the big brute.

"How did you do that? Lifting boxes?" I asked.

"It wasn't boxes he was lifting … or packing, for that matter." Ro winked at me, and in the flash of an eye, Em's unrequited proposal was forgotten, and their lips locked in a kiss that needed a "parental advisory explicit content" sticker.

I snorted and rolled my eyes at Edward, but hardly got the chance to blink before he dragged me into his bedroom, shouting over his shoulder, "We're leaving in twenty."

I was about to comment on what must have been Emmett's fourth proposal, but the observation dissolved on my tongue when I was pushed up against the door with Edward's mouth on mine.

His kiss was desperate, and his breath hot and hurried against my skin. My protestations that we had to get ready to leave were no match for his passion, and I melted into him. Gripping my waist, he lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around his hips. My floaty skirt provided no obstacle as his hands slid under it to grasp onto the soft skin of my thighs. Pressing me up against the door, the friction of his jeans and arousal sparked off a surge of heat right down to my toes. My sandals slipped off my feet and landed on the floor with a thud, one after the other. He overwhelmed me in the best way.

His stubble scraped over my skin, as he left my already bruised lips, to kiss along the length of my jaw, finding the sensitive skin on my throat. The volume of the whimpers pouring out of my mouth were directly correlated to his intensity as he sucked and licked, driving me insane with the slow grind between my thighs. I felt his teeth bite down into the soft muscle above my collarbone, and my head fell back against the door with a dull thud, drowned out by a needy moan.

Edward stilled in his movement, my hips reflexively tilting to find his again, hating the sensation from the loss of his hard warmth. He pressed his hand across my mouth silencing me. "You have to be quiet," he rasped. His own lips were red and parted with harsh breaths. "Can you be quiet?"

I shook my head, and his lips tipped up into a wry grin. "You'll have to try." It was a warning, but one I couldn't find the will to heed.

He carried me to the bed, but instead of laying me down, he turned and sat, keeping me on his lap. "What—"

He silenced me with his mouth, stole my words with his tongue. His fingers fluttered over my shoulders and lifted the straps of my camisole, letting them fall down my arms, revealing my bra. Fixing his gaze on my face, he trailed his finger around the edge of the rosy skin of my nipples, visible through the sheer material. A breath whooshed out of me, and I flexed my hips against his lap, finding the connection I was searching for sparking between my legs. Edward pulled my hips harder against him and pushed the material of my bra down until his mouth found my pebbled skin. He was driving me crazy with the push of his hands and the pull of his hips. The rhythm lifting me higher and the sensations radiating through my body. "Edward, please," I whimpered, pulling on his hair so he'd look at me.

"We have to be quiet." He growled, his eyes half closed with lust. I shamelessly ground my hips down onto him, and he silenced his own moan against my flushed chest.

"I want you. I don't care." I pulled at his t-shirt, and he lifted his arms so I could pull it over his head, his hair mussed from its removal. I fell forward onto him, moving back into the rhythm, digging my heels into the bed covers and burying my face in his neck.

"Fuck, Bella." His voice was a whisper against my shoulder. "You feel so good. So good."

We'd made love so many times over the past few days, but this was desperate, pulling and clawing at each other, kissing and nipping skin. I needed him closer. I needed him to know how much I wanted him. "More." My voice croaked. He'd hardly touched me, and I could feel myself tipping over to where I would shatter into a million pieces of pleasure. "I need more, Edward."

I sat back and scrambled to undo his belt and zipper, finding him hard and smooth in my hand. He lifted me up, pulling my panties to the side, and I sank down onto him, feeling every ridge and shudder as he moved inside me. We stilled for a moment, and I found his lips, leaning my forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you. So much." It only seemed like seconds later that I came apart in his arms, shuddering and throbbing, heat spiralling through me as he came undone too. He held me flush against his body as if his life depended on it, a tangle of limbs and love. We stayed that way until our hearts returned to a steady beat and our breaths were even, reluctant to let go of each other, a second before we had to.

* * *

People were milling around the airport, dragging suitcases, trying to locate their tickets and passports, or staring up at the flashing departures boards. They were oblivious to my impending breakdown. They _were,_ however, aware of Ro's. Emmett was trying to comfort her, but her keening cries were making me concerned we might not be allowed on the plane after all.

Edward was subdued, and he hadn't let go of my hand since we left the apartment. Even carrying a suitcase, and dragging another, he managed to wrap my hand in his, and he wrangled them onto the weigh-in desk as we checked them in. I didn't want him to let go. The looming entrance to the departures lounge with huge red lettering above "Only passengers beyond this point" was making me feel panicky.

Edward wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and I leaned back into him, searching for our flight on the boards. For the first time ever, I willed the yellow lettering to change, telling us our plane was delayed. "You're at Gate 35." No such luck.

I spun around and buried my face into his chest, willing the burn behind my eyes to at least wait until I got through passport control. Edward rocked me gently, pressing kisses into my hair as his arms tightened every few seconds.

"You've got your passport?" I nodded. "Your tickets?" Another nod. "Cat got your tongue?" He chuckled, and I felt the vibrations through my cheek, pressed against his chest.

Tilting my head back to meet his eyes, I bit down hard on my lip to stop the quiver. If I allowed it to worsen, it would release a whole host of emotions—the kind probably frowned upon in public.

"Hey, you need to save your tears." Edward's forehead furrowed with concern.

"I'm trying to," I managed to choke out, standing on my tiptoes and pushing my face into his neck. Over the past few days, I'd become fixated with his neck, trying to take in as much of his familiar scent, masculine and perfectly him, as I could. I was desperate to capture it in my memory. He'd joked I was becoming addicted to him. I didn't argue with his observation.

"Save my tears for what?" I mumbled, my lips against the warm skin of his throat. This seemed like the perfect time for tears. I was proud I'd managed to stem them for this long.

"For when you walk back through _those_ doors." He spun us around so I could see the green arrivals gate—the place he'd surprised me what seemed like a lifetime ago. "_Then,_ you're allowed to cry."

"Okay." I sniffled. Lacing my fingers behind his neck, I stood on top of his sneakers, giving me an inch extra so I could rest my cheek against the scruff of his. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer.

"Then there'll be lots of other times you'll need tears, too," he added.

"Umm … that sounds ominous." I leaned back and narrowed my eyes at him, but he kissed me on the tip of my nose, his lips curving into a smile.

"Not at all. Tears can be a good thing."

"Happy tears."

"Yes. Like when I kiss you senseless, and you can't believe anyone can be so good at it, tears of wonder will pour down your face." He cocked his head to the side and laughed.

"You _are_ exceptionally good at kissing," I agreed, stealing a quick one from him while he was grinning at me.

"Don't forget when my prowess in the bedroom brings you to tears."

I arched my eyebrow at him and pretended to ignore the number of the flight being called over the intercom. Our flight. "You're even better in bed."

He nods with a satisfied smirk. "What about when I make you laugh so hard you can't stop crying?"

"You're pushing it now." I tugged the short hair at the nape of his neck, and he widened his eyes—a picture of innocence. "Okay, okay. You do make me laugh. Just remember sometimes I'm laughing at you and not with you. It might be hard to differentiate."

He gave a throaty growl and kissed me, nipping my lip and tickling my sides. "Lies. All lies."

"I'll agree. I'll agree." I squealed and squirmed until his fingers stilled, and he pulled me back until I was flush against him. I considered his feet might be sore from my weight, but I selfishly didn't say anything. I didn't want the moment to end.

Edward continued, his eyes softened, and he rested his forehead to mine. "And there's the other times when—"

"B, they've called our flight, we need to go through." Ro appeared at our shoulders, and I reluctantly unwrapped myself from Edward. Her eyes were red and puffy. I glanced at Emmett who had a matching pair.

We followed them to the doors of the departures lounge, and I held a finger up to her. "One minute."

I threw myself back into Edward's arms. "I love you."

"I know. I love you, too. More than anything." He cradled my face and kissed me gently, caressing my tongue with his. I twisted and gripped my fingers into his t-shirt, tasting the salt of my tears on our lips. Reaching up to touch his face, my fingers danced over his jaw, stubbled golden brown, and his cheeks as he tangled his fingers into my hair. We said our goodbye this way, without words, until we had to break apart as another announcement rang in my ears.

He brushed away my tears, but it was useless as more spilled down my cheeks, replacing those his thumbs had captured. "Save your tears."

I stood on my tiptoes for one last kiss. "I'll see you soon."

Edward crushed me to his body, whispering his love over and over. "Soon. I love you, and I'll see you soon."

We wound our way around the most ridiculously complex maze of barriers I'd ever seen. I started to feel dizzy from winding back and around and down and back around ourselves just to get to the security—approximately six steps away. If you could just walk in a straight line.

Walking away from Edward was harder than I'd imagined. Even with the knowledge I'd be seeing him soon, it felt so wrong. I'd gotten so used to his presence in my life. I felt hollow the farther from him I went, tears brimming every five minutes which weren't helped by Ro's intermittent sobbing fits. People were giving us strange looks, and I'd loudly made reference to Ro's impending motherhood so we wouldn't freak out anybody. Hopefully they'd put it down to hormones, though I had little excuse.

Unloading our purses and coats into the plastic boxes on the conveyor belts, we queued for the metal detectors. I'd never wanted to be banned from flying before. Maybe I should have smuggled some tweezers in my bra. Would that have had me thrown off? There was a very fine line between being thrown off a flight and ending up in prison, so I decided to stick on the straight and narrow. A jail sentence would throw a wrench in my plans to see Edward again.

Ro's irate voice broke me out of my criminal meanderings. "It says over 100cl. I know this is over, but it's half empty." Her voice was wavering and she pleaded me to help, her blue eyes brimming with tears again.

"Are you okay?" I asked, not daring to make eye contact with the scary border security guard whose thick eyebrows were pulled into a no-nonsense scowl.

"They want to throw Em's cologne away." The tears started again in earnest.

"Excuse me. Is there no way we can—"

"No liquids over 100cl. That's 125." He held his hand out for the offending glass bottle.

I tried to comfort a sobbing Ro and sent a smile back to the irritated passengers in the line behind us. I could feel their annoyance like a laser on the back of my head. My own irritation began to rise.

"Look, is there anything we can do? We're on our way home. She's having a baby with someone who couldn't come. That's his cologne. Something to remember him by until he can come out. Is there nothing you can do to help? Please?"

The guard looked mildly shocked at my outburst, and his grim countenance softened slightly. "You can go back and check it in if you've got time, but that's all. I'm sorry."

Ro clasped her hands together, and I was slightly worried she was going to kiss the guard. "Thank you so much. I'll go right now."

The guard stopped her with his arm before she ran back through the scanner. "Miss, you can't. You've already been through." He looked over at me and nodded. "You'll have to go."

Oh, for the love of God. We quickly stuffed everything from my purse into Ro's and arranged to meet at the gate. I ran like a mad woman through the lounge and back out to the check-in desks. My watch gave me twenty minutes before boarding, but I could feel the panic rising when I remembered the long line at security and no doubt longer one at passport control.

By the time I found the desk and managed to check in my bag, Emmett's cologne and all, my chest was heaving, and I was flushed from the exertion and the mild panic. Part of me was a little annoyed I didn't think to take Edward's cologne with me, and I promised myself I was going to buy some when I got home. Then I could get high on him as often as I liked.

I thanked the check-in lady and scurried back to the departures lounge, when out of the corner of my eyes, I spotted a flash of messy hair, in a color I could never mistake. Edward.

I almost tripped over my feet in my haste to get to him. He was seated in a bank of blue chairs with his elbows resting on his knees, his fingers tunnelled in his hair, staring at the floor. He looked so forlorn, it almost broke my heart.

He didn't even look up when I was standing directly in front of him.

"Hey, you."

Edward lifted his head, his mouth, wide with shock, morphed into the most beautiful smile I think I'd ever seen. "What … Bella. Your flight?"

"I'm still going. I had to check something in."

"Why are you standing over there then? Come here." He reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me sideways into his lap, wasting no time in kissing me.

"Why are you still here? Are you okay?" I ran my hand along over his jaw, and he leaned his face into my palm.

"Em's gone to sort out the car parking ticket. I think he got lost somewhere." I couldn't see him anywhere around, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was having a moment to compose himself, if the state Ro was in was anything to go by. I was going to miss Edward more than anything, but he was missing out on irreplaceable months with Ro during her pregnancy.

"You looked so sad." I brushed my thumb across his lips.

"I am sad, Bella. I hate this. I really fucking hate it, but you know what? We're gonna be okay." His sea-greens crinkled with a smile as he looked at me. "I never thought anything could make me as happy as just seeing you now did. When you come back, I swear it'll be the best day of my life. I might even let myself cry," he joked, kissing my own tears that were spilling again.

"Happy tears." I nodded, brushing my lips to his.

"Yes, only happy tears, but if you have sad tears that's okay, too. I'll kiss them away until they're happy again," he said, his hand sliding up the back of my t-shirt as his thumb caressed circles into my bare skin.

"What were the other times for happy tears? You were going to tell me before Ro interrupted?" I cringed as I heard the announcement that our flight would be boarding soon.

I slid off Edward's lap, and he stood, wrapping his hand around mine as we walked over to where we would part ways—for the second time that day.

Cupping my face again, he kissed my lips, brushing his thumbs under my eyes to wipe away my tears. "I'm going to make sure you have enough happy tears to last you a lifetime, Bella Swan. When we move in together, when I ask you to marry me, when I see you walking down the aisle, when we have our babies. I want four, just so you know." His crooked smile and words sent my heart soaring, and I doubted our plane could match its height. "Just you wait. Once you get back, I'm never letting you get far away from me again. I want to catch your tears whether they're sad or happy, a drop or a river, I'll be there, okay? … I love you."

I couldn't stop the river of tears, so I buried my face in his chest and drowned his t-shirt with them.

I let myself cry when I saw Ro.

I let myself cry when our plane lifted off from English soil.

I let myself cry when I made the ill-advised decision to watch a romcom mid-flight.

I let myself cry when my mom and dad wrapped me in their arms.

I let myself cry when I climbed into bed on my own.

But, when I turned on my phone and saw the text from Edward, I stopped.

**I'm keeping our bed warm for when you get home, beautiful. I miss you. I love you. Save your tears.**

* * *

~o~o~o~o~

* * *

**AN: **_I hope that wasn't too sad for you, and if it was, I'm sending a hug. I promise there is a HEA for Muddy and Bella! __Thank you for reading. oxoxox_

Come and say hello over in my FB group **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** (link is on my profile) for teasers but mainly for a whole lot of lovely Rob.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**


	29. Chapter 29

**AN:** _Love to my ladies Chocaholic123 and Katie Boberg for pre-reading and to jcat5507 and mcc101180 for beta'ing _

_SM owns Twilight._

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**~o~o~o~ Arch Lifts ~o~o~o~**

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The past few months seemed to drag like molasses. Ro and I had thrown ourselves into our college work, and the lecturers had piled assignments on top of us for the final semester. We didn't know anyone in our classes, so it was easy to bunker down in the library undisturbed, writing page after page of analysis. The only distraction was our phones that were constantly lit up with messages and missed calls from the boys.

The ache from missing Edward never went away, but he made it easier. We spoke every day, emailed, and I even found myself running to the mailbox every morning to see if he'd written a letter or sent a package. At least once a week there was something from him, his distinctive scrawled writing on the front.

When I'd unzipped my suitcase on the first night in my childhood bedroom, I'd found a familiar t-shirt wrapped around a rectangular package. The navy blue material was pure Edward, his spicy cologne and the fresh detergent that reminded me so much of him and especially his bed. I'd let out such a loud squeal that Mom had come running to check if I was okay.

I think she fell a little bit in love with him too when she saw what he'd sent me. It was a small wooden picture frame, dotted with all manner of shells. The photo was of our beach hut, the sun shining, and it captured the shadow of the photographer, dark across the sand. My first thought was it was one of Riley's photos, but the shape of the shadow was distinctly Edward. I'd found a note attached to the back.

_Bella,_

_I finally decided to put Riley's cameras to good use. This was my first photo. It's not perfect, but I wanted you to have it anyway because it's our place. _

_I love you,_

_Edward._

I'd like to say my dad thought it was a lovely gift too. He did, until I told him my plans to return to England. That revelation had gone down like a ton of bricks. Mom and Dad were both upset about it, but Mom said she understood, and she'd even spoken to Edward on the phone a few times. Dad was proving to be a tougher cookie to crack.

I was getting ready to head out with Ro to view a house she was planning to rent with Emmett. She wanted to get everything ready before the baby came, and as she was already carrying around a basketball tucked under her top, time was running out. Thing were progressing slowly with Emmett's transfer, but he hoped he'd be over within the month. As we'd predicted, Ro's mom had a meltdown and was panicking over everything. I was acting as buffer between the pair, both of them often ending up in tears of frustration. Thankfully, for this viewing she was at work, so it would just be the two of us.

My phone screen lit up with a message from Edward.

_**Hey, are you at home? Near your computer?**_

I looked at my watch, my desire to see him outweighing my punctuality.

_**Yep, but I'm heading out in fifteen.**_

_**I just want to see your face. Calling in two.**_

By the time I had my computer turned on, my cheeks ached from my smile and my pulse was running away with itself in excitement to see him. The call came in almost immediately, and I clicked the mouse to accept it, sitting down at my desk so I was eye level with the camera.

The screen filled, not with Edward face, but a view of his naked torso.

"Oh my god. Are you trying to kill me?" My body still heated with desire for him, despite the fact he was so many thousands of miles away. Nothing had dampened my attraction. If anything, I was worse, and Edward was insatiable. When we finally saw each other, I'd joked we might explode. Edward told me I shouldn't say things like that. It might curse his stamina.

He still didn't sit down, but the camera wobbled, his laugh coming through the speakers. "Hang on. The camera's gone all wonky."

I leaned closer to the screen, my fingers itching to run down his side, across his stomach, to trace the shape of his muscles and the black flicks of his tattoo which disappeared into his towel. Oh my god.

"Edward, are you wet?" I asked, my voice almost pleading him to say yes.

He finally sat down, his handsome face filling the screen. An eyebrow was raised, and the lopsided smile, ever-present on his lips, was curled even more than usual. I wanted to lean in and kiss it so badly, I felt a pain in my chest.

"Are you?" he asked.

I shot a look at my door, making sure it was closed. Thankfully, it was. This was not the kind of conversation I wanted my parents to hear, never mind that it would be a surefire way to make my dad dislike Edward even more.

"It's the middle of the afternoon here," I whispered.

"Thanks, Mrs. Wolf. I am aware of the time difference." He rubbed his hands over the day's worth of scruff on his face. I could imagine exactly how it would feel under my fingertips. "I just got out of the shower, and I missed you. Can a man not want to say hi to the girl he loves?" He reached for something behind him, stretching out his body, drawing my eyes directly to the golden brown trail that lead to the treasure I yearned to reach. He was driving me insane.

"I know what you're doing, Edward Cullen," I scolded.

His mischievous grin told me he knew exactly what he was doing, too. "Oh yeah? What's that then?"

"You're trying to … make me want you." I leaned closer to the computer, hoping my voice wasn't carrying. I heard the television on downstairs and could visualize my dad sitting in his armchair, beer in hand, watching sports.

"You don't want me?" He frowned, pouting.

"I always want you."

"What do you want from me?" His voice dropped down a step, the way he knew drove me crazy.

"Everything."

"You have to be more specific than that, Miss Swan." He crossed his arms over his naked chest. A chest that was still covered with droplets of water from his shower. Little details like that were my undoing, and he knew full well. I wanted to climb into the computer and lick every one off his skin, tangling my fingers in his water-darkened hair.

"I want you to come here and make me yours. I want to touch you and kiss you, and I want to feel your body pressing into mine and your lips on my skin." I finished and felt breathless, but the ache had started up again. The ache of wanting something you can't have. "I just want _you_, Edward."

He could tell from my tone, I'd gone from being turned on to two minutes from tears. "Hey, beautiful. Don't be sad."

"I'm not sad. I just miss you."

"I know. I miss you, too. More than anything. How did the visa thing go?"

"Not had it yet. It's tomorrow." I had a call with the British Embassy to start the process of obtaining a visa to live and work in England—something I was starting to worry about. The mountains of information on the Internet had been giving me a headache. I needed someone to explain a _Dummies Guide to Emigrating_. It had been simple enough to get the student visa— our college had organized it for us—but it had expired, meaning I had to start from scratch.

Edward read my frown and tone as if I'd voiced my concerns out loud. We'd learned a lot about each other from our time apart. Understanding minor flexes in the tenor of our voices was becoming second nature. "Don't worry. It'll be fine, and if it's not, we'll get around it. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay. I love you. I'm sorry for being maudlin."

"I'd give anything to give you a hug right now. You know that, right?" he said.

"Only a hug?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood. I saw my phone flashing out of the corner of my eye—Ro.

"You better be ready for me. When I've finished all the things I'm going to do to you, your legs will be like jelly."

"Oh yeah, hotstuff?" He had the amazing ability to turn me on with a handful of words.

"Yeah. I'll call you later, and we can continue where we left off once you're in bed … naked." He grinned, and I blew him a kiss.

"I love you. Speak to you later."

"I love you, too. Have a good day."

The screen went blank, and as always, I felt it like a physical jolt. I missed him so, so much.

* * *

"There he is!" Ro squealed and barged through the throngs of passengers to the hulking form of Emmett. Perhaps lumbered would be a better word for it. For the first six months of her pregnancy, if you we looking at her from behind, you couldn't even tell. She'd started to suffer from swollen ankles and had grown so big, we'd scrutinized her scans, making sure there wasn't another baby hiding in there. Her doctors assured her there wasn't; she'd been blessed with a big baby. A comment that made us both flinch in unison.

I gave them a couple of minutes together. Emmett had crouched down, wrapping his arms around her protruding stomach, and he was talking to it. Ro stroked the top of his head with tears in her eyes, gazing down at him. I was trying so hard not to feel like the odd one out, the thoughts only making me miss Edward more.

"Bella!" Emmett stood and barreled over, crushing me in his arms for a long time. "That's from E. He made me promise to give you a good one." He snickered, and Ro, who'd ambled over, smacked his arm.

I swiped away the tear that had escaped, joking, "I'll tell him you gave me an especially good one."

He grinned broadly. "You do that. He's too far away to do anything about it now."

"Em. Jesus, will you shut up," Ro warned, wrapping her arm around my waist. "I'm sorry, B," she whispered, and I shook my head with a smile.

Over the past few months, we'd had more than one hormone-fuelled argument about the fact I'd come home with her, flinging hurtful words we didn't mean. She'd tried numerous times to get me to go back to England, but what kind of friend would that have made me? She was without Emmett for every kick, every prenatal class, each tiny little change, but she had me by her side in lieu. She'd even nicknamed me MiniEmmyBear, until I'd threatened her with death. Yes, I missed Edward. Yes I desperately wanted to see him, but Ro has been my best friend since pigtails, popsicles, and gappy teeth. I wanted to be there for her. She would do the same for me, without a shadow of a doubt. Plus, I was gathering my godmother points. I definitely had it in the bag.

"So, ladies. What's up first?" Em boomed, swinging his rucksack up onto his shoulder, taking Ro's hand.

"We're going to our new place," Ro said, halting him in his stride.

"New place? I thought we were staying with your mom and house hunting?" The relief was apparent on his face. Ro told me her mom had already adopted Em as the son she'd never had, and as a result, she was driving him as crazy as his own mother.

"I thought I'd surprise you. It's only rented for now, but it's perfect. I know you'll love it," Ro explained tentatively. It was a risk putting the deposit down, but Edward had been involved in the surprise plans, fishing for information from over in England and feeding it back to us covertly.

Em pulled her into his arms for a kiss. "Lead the way!"

We pulled up outside the little house. It was a two bedroom with a small front yard. Painted white with a forest green front door, it was adorable. We'd managed to furnish it adequately with things dug out from garages and attics, borrowed from my parents and Ro's. It still needed a lot of work before the arrival of Baby McCarty, but it was a good start. Plus, it had a decent back garden with a small deck. Apparently, a barbeque area was the only thing Em had demanded. He was a fiend on the grill. Or so we'd heard.

"This is it?" Em pointed, clambering out of the cab. He beamed like a little kid when she nodded. "Come on, show me around."

"Don't forget you have to lift me over the threshold." Ro paused after she'd unlocked the front door.

"Oh really? I've heard that's only after you get married, and you won't marry me, so …" He folded his arms. "and I don't want to hurt my back. You're a lot heavier than the last time I saw you." He must have had a death wish.

I'd remained by the cab, and I decided to leave them to it. I didn't have time to be an accessory to murder. "See you guys later. I'm going home."

"Bye, B. Come around soon." Ro yelped as Em bent down and lifted her into his arms. The last thing I saw as the cab pulled away was them disappearing into their new home. I pulled my phone and sent Edward a text.

_**Will you carry me over the threshold when I arrive?**_

A minute later, my phone lit up. _**Is this a proposal of marriage?**_

I smiled and brushed my thumb over the screen before replying. _**What would you say if it was?**_

_**I'd say stop spoiling my extravagant plans.**_

_**What plans are those?**_

_**The ones where I'm going to ask you to marry me. **_

I let out a little squeak, and the cab driver's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. I mouthed my apologies and texted Edward back. _**I love you.**_

_**I know. I'm very easy to love.**_

_**You're a dork.**_

_**You're dorkier.**_

_**Is that a word? **_

_**It should be.**_

I shook my head at his message, my chest feeling tight with longing. _**I miss you. **_

_**I miss you more, but it's not long now. I'm counting down the days. I've carved them into my wall with my fingernails.**_

I snorted. If there was one thing to be said about Edward Cullen, and there was a lot you could say, it was that he could put a smile on my face no matter how sad I felt. **At least it's not a notch in your bedpost.**

**Oh I have plenty of those ;)**

**Erm …**

**Shit. I didn't mean it like that. I meant I've only carved you into my bedpost. **

The cab pulled up outside my house, and I riffled around in my bag for some bills, passing them to the driver. Before I'd even got out of the car, my phone was vibrating in my hand, my favorite picture of him flashing on the screen.

"Hey, you," I answered.

"Hey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I've got foot in mouth syndrome and all that." His familiar voice was tinged with a panic that made me smile.

"I was kidding." I laughed, pulling my key out and unlocking the front door.

"Oh I thought when you didn't reply, I'd upset you," he admitted, the relief clear in his tone.

"Nope. I know you're a dork . We just had a conversation about your dorkiness. I was paying for the cab when you texted. I've just gotten back from getting Em. Ro's showing him around the new house." I threw my keys on the wooden table in the hallway and walked into the kitchen, pulling a bottle of water from the fridge.

"I'm feeling jealous of them." His voice had quieted, and I heard him flop down onto his couch or bed.

"Yeah, me too, but we won't be saying this when they're up at two in the morning with a screaming baby." I clutched onto whatever silver lining I could find.

"Very true. So what are you doing? Have you booked your flights yet?" After hours and hours of discussion, we'd decided the best option was to get over to England with a short-term visa. I'd accepted a job at the university in the Criminology and Psychology department as a tutor. I then had six months to find a perfect full-time job, and I'd already started sending out applications.

"No, not yet," I replied.

"Good. I want to pay for them."

"What? No, Edward. I can manage it." I had enough savings to tide me over while I settled down.

"Nope. You will not win this argument. I've spoken to your dad about it, and he agrees."

I paused with the bottle of water halfway to my mouth. "What?"

"I said you won't win the argument," he repeated.

"No, the bit about my dad." This was a revelation. The pair had spoken momentarily when my dad had picked up the phone, but no more than a few gruff words. I'd thought Edward was scared of him.

"Oh yeah, that. Well, I decided I'd better try and build a relationship with him. I _am_ stealing his daughter away from him after all."

"When has this been going on?" I was standing, with my jaw on the floor, in the quiet kitchen. I couldn't believe this had been going on under my nose. I was going to have to have a little word with my dear old dad.

"A few calls here and there. Don't worry about it, beautiful. Your dad loves me." He chuckled down the line, scratching coming over the receiver I imagined was his stubble as he held the phone to his ear with his shoulder. He never sat still and was always doing ten things at once when he was on the phone.

"I will have to see it to believe it."

He laughed. "You will eventually. I've got to head off now. I've got work in ten."

"Are you in your uniform?" I pouted.

"I am." he replied with a rasp to the words that made my heart flutter.

"You don't play fair."

"I know. Love you, B. I'll call you later."

"Love you, too. I want pics," I told him quickly before the line went dead.

My phone flashed up a second later. **You show me yours. I'll show you mine.**

I responded and ran up the stairs to my room with a huge smile on my face.** Mission accepted.**

* * *

**AN: **_Thank you for reading, and for your fab reviews and rec's oxoxox_

Come and say hello over in my FB group **SparrowNotes24 Fanfiction** (link is on my profile) for teasers but mainly for a whole lot of lovely Rob.

I'm on Twitter at **SparrowNotes24** and FB **SparrowNotes TwentyFour**


	30. High Kicks

**AN:**_ Love and hugs to Choc, Conks, mc101180, Pates and Katie for holding my hand through this final chapter. It's ended up a little long, but I decided not to split it up. I hope you all enjoy xxx_

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**~o~o~o~ High Kicks ~o~o~o~**

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The music blared from the radio into the small room, its freshly painted walls lit by a rare ray of sunlight. The past few weeks had been as miserable outside as I felt inside. The skies were gray and heavy with clouds, but like the sun shining through the window, everything was brightening because Edward had booked my flights. I was going to see him in ten days.

"Hey, girls, I'm off to meet the coordinator for the classes!" Em shouted up the stairs.

Ro was kneeling on a pillow, applying pictures of giraffes, lions, and jungle fauna to the wall. "Okay. See you later. Don't forget the groceries. You need to get the burgers for tonight," she yelled over the radio.

I peeled a sticker from its backing, an elephant, and placed it onto the wall, smoothing the bubbles out with the heel of my hand. "How are the boot camp plans?"

Ro gestured for me to pull her up, and I heaved her to her feet. The final months were taking their toll, and she was getting tired, often ending up falling asleep on the couch with her feet in Em's hands. "They're good. The parks have been selected. They just need to get the licenses and decide on the leaflets and fliers, and they should be good to go. He needs to get the word out, so I said you and I could hand out fliers. Oh, and he's been interviewing for more instructors, too."

"You are not going out fly papering, Ro. I can do it. I'm sure I can rope in some others to help me." I picked up the scraps of paper from the floor, scrunching them into a ball. The nursery was coming together perfectly. Ro and Em didn't want to know the sex, though Ro was convinced it had to be a boy, purely based on her size. It was painted a soft yellow with matching blankets for the crib. Emmett's parents had sent over a beautiful wicker Moses basket that would stay in their room with them for the first few months.

"Stop coddling me. I'm fine." She pouted, rubbing her hand gently along the curve of her bump, wincing as the baby moved. "I swear he's gonna be a boxer, this kid."

"Come on, let's go down. Do you want some lunch?" I'd been watching her closely for signs of labor. She wasn't comfortable at all anymore, and she still had almost a month to go.

"Yeah. I could eat," she admitted with a sheepish grin, making me laugh loudly.

"Tell me something I don't know." I ducked as she threw a stuffed bunny at my head.

We spent the afternoon watching movies. Ro was too tired to carry on with the nursery, and I secretly loved to play nursemaid because it meant I got to lounge around as much as her.

By the time the credits on our second movie of the afternoon rolled up the screen, Ro had fallen asleep with her head in my lap. I'd reflexively checked my phone for messages even though Edward was at a mandatory training day. He had said he wouldn't be able to get to the phone until evening, his time, which was still hours away.

A gasp startled me as Ro sat up clutching her side, her eyes wide with concern.

"Are you okay?" Her face contorted in pain for a few seconds, relaxing away to leave worry etched on it.

"I don't know. Damn, that hurt." She sat up, placing her feet onto the carpet, both hands caressing her bump.

I jumped up, knocking my phone onto the floor, scrabbling to pick it up. "Should I call an ambulance?The hospital? The doctor? What about Em and your mom?" Panic rose in my body as my words spilled out, but Ro's smile halted my monologue.

"Calm down, B. It's me that's supposed to be the worrier." She patted the couch next to her, and I sat back down.

"Are you in pain, though? Do you think it's labor?" I searched her face and body for clues—ridiculous, seeing as I knew deep down that if she were in labor we'd all know about it.

"No. It's passed now. Maybe it's just gas or something."

"Do you want anything?" I released the death grip on my phone and placed it on the coffee table.

"I could do with a glass of water," she said, shuffling back onto the cushions so they'd support her back.

In the kitchen, I'd only reached to pull down a glass when I heard her shout. I ran through to the lounge to see her bent over again. Her face was reddening as she vigorously rubbed her side. "B … " She drew out my name, her voice tremulous. "Can you call Em?"

"Yes. Of course." I grabbed my phone, scrolling for his number and hitting the call button. Of course, it went straight to voicemail. I left a garbled message for him to call us as soon as he picked it up.

"It's not time." Ro looked up at me, pain and worry evident in her furrowed brow.

"No. It's not, but this could be a false alarm, and …" I chewed on my cheek, trying to remember how early babies could be born. I didn't want to say anything to her until we knew what was going on, even though I was sure she'd be fine at eight months. I tried Em again with the same result.

"Come on. Let's get to the hospital. There's no harm in getting checked out. I'll grab your bags." I leapt up the stairs, two at once, and picked up the bag, already packed with her essentials. We'd only bought the damn thing last week, and I thanked my lucky stars we'd had the foresight to pack it right away.

On the way to the ER, Ro tried Em's phone, too, with no luck and called her mom so she could meet us there. I parked haphazardly, taking up two spaces, and ran around to Ro's side of the car. "Do you think you can walk?"

She nodded, though she didn't look convinced. I hooked my arm around hers and led her across the parking lot. We had to stop halfway when what looked a hell of a lot like a contraction made her cry out and double over, almost wrenching my arm off in the process. We should have gotten a wheel chair.

At the desk, I signed her in, and after a few minutes, she was taken into the maternity suites and given a bed.

"Did you get through to Em?" Her eyes were wet with tears, and she looked so much younger than she was. I held on to her hand and squeezed it.

"No, not yet, but I will when your mom gets here to sit with you. I'll try and track him down. Do you know who else he's with?" I asked, pulling her phone out of her purse, to get the number of Emmett's new colleagues.

The doctor arrived, and I ducked out to call Emmett again, getting frustrated with the automated voice of the messenger service. I explained where we were, and when I'd hung up, I called Edward. His phone went straight to voicemail as well, and I growled in frustration. If this was a false alarm, we needed to plan a hell of a lot better than this.

By the time I got back, Ro's mom was by her side, and they both looked equally petrified. My expression must have matched theirs when they told me that she was in fact in labor. Oh hell.

For the next few hours, we got into a pattern of sitting with Ro, whose water had broken and contractions were shortening, and running outside the hospital into the miserable afternoon to try and get hold of Emmett. I was going to kill him when he finally arrived. I might let him meet his child first. Then, I would strangle him.

The sky was dark, clouds gathering on the horizon, and the scent of fresh rain hung in the air. To get cell reception I had to stand outside by the parking lot. If there was a downpour, I was going to get seriously soaked. I toyed with calling my parents to bring me a coat but decided I'd live and opted to get them involved in the desperate search for the very elusive Emmett McCarty instead.

Shivering in my thin cotton blouse, I was calling Emmett for the hundredth time, when my phone vibrated in my hand, and I almost dropped it onto the sidewalk in shock. A number I didn't recognize came up on the screen.

"Hello?" My voice was breathless with hope that it was Em.

"Hi. I've had some missed calls from you today, and I'm just returning them. It's James Shelton."

The name rang a bell as one of the men involved with Emmett's new venture. "Hi, James. I'm Bella, Emmett's friend. Are you with him?"

"Emmett? No. I haven't seen him in a while." I could hear the sounds of children and the buzz of a television in the background.

I rubbed my forehead; the tension was starting to develop into a headache. "Sorry. Were you not with him today?"

"I haven't seen him since last week," he responded.

"Oh. I thought you had a meeting with him today. We must have been confused," I lied, feeling the awkwardness of the conversation increasing and the heat of embarrassment in my cheeks.

"Okay, no problem. Bye."

The line went dead, and I stared at it in my hand. I called Emmett again with a renewed vigor that was tinged with anger. Where the hell was he? I knew we hadn't been mistaken. I'd heard Em say he was going to see the coordinator with my own ears. There had to be an explanation. Maybe he was planning a surprise for Ro. That had to be it. Anything other than that was unthinkable, and I would seriously kill him and not regret it one single bit.

I rushed back into the hospital, hearing Ro's cries carry down the pale blue corridors, when I neared her room. They brought tears to my eyes. I felt so out of my depth. The second I came through the door, her eyes latched onto me, bright with a hope that died as soon as I shook my head.

"Where is he?" she asked, her voice wavering with pain.

"Don't worry, Ro. He'll be here. When he sees his phone, he'll come." I brushed her hair back from her forehead. It was damp with perspiration.

Back outside the double doors of the hospital, I called him again, pacing back and forth under the paltry shelter the roof provided. The skies had opened up as the sun lowered in the sky, and the asphalt glistened slick with the rain.

On the fourth try, it rang.

"Hello."

"Where the hell are you, Em!" My frustration poured out of me in a huge wave of relief.

"I'm sorry. I've been in meetings all day. What's happened?" His deep voice was laced with panic, so I chose to ignore the lie for now.

"I'm at the hospital. Ro's in labor. You need to get here about four hours ago."

A barrage of curses came down the phone. "I'm on my way. I'll be there in twenty."

He hung up, and I stared at the phone for a minute. Twenty minutes, where the hell had he been? I ran back to Ro's room to tell her the news, but it was swarming with nurses and the doctor, dressed in their pale green scrubs.

The snap of rubber gloves and the beep of monitors sent my anxiety rocketing, but I swallowed it down and moved over to Ro's side. "Hey, you."

She gripped on to my hand until her knuckles were white. Tears rolled silently down her rosy cheeks, and her mom, standing opposite us, stroked her face. "He's coming, Ro. He's on his way now. He said he'd be here in twenty."

She smiled weakly. "The baby's coming now, B. What if he misses it?"

I pressed a kiss to her brow and brushed her tears away with my thumb. "He'll be here, and if he misses it, after I've kicked his ass, we'll tell him all about it and make sure he feels like he was here, okay?"

Ro let out a little laugh that turned into a groan as another contraction kicked in. Her hand tightened around mine until I was afraid my fingers might snap.

Time seemed to evaporate as the doctors encouraged Ro to push, her cries echoing around the room. I wanted to take the pain away for her. The midwife explained to her that the baby didn't want to come out, and as a result,they were both weakening. After a quiet debate, the doctor announced that Ro needed to go into surgery.

In the flash of an eye, I was handed a pair of scrubs, but I hesitated to put them on, my eyes glancing at the door every few seconds. As they wheeled her bed out of the room, the doors into the suite swung open, and a flustered and thoroughly wet Emmett ran over to her side. They both burst into tears, and I couldn't stop my own from falling. I didn't ask him where he'd been, but I smiled at him and told him to take good care of her, kissing them both before they disappeared into the operating room.

The sudden quiet of the corridor made me feel claustrophobic, and after I made sure Ro's mom was okay, sitting quietly on the row of green plastic chairs that lined the wall outside the operating room, I headed outside for some fresh air.

* * *

The rain was hammering down, distorting everything in the distance and bouncing off the hoods on the cars, but I relished the cool breeze on my red cheeks. I sucked in lungfuls of fresh air, the worry for Ro decreasing as I told myself it would be okay. She was in safe hands, the doctors and Emmett's.

I walked toward the lot, tipping my face up to the rain. A flash caught my eye, the orange blinkers of a car locking and its owner pulling the handle to double check.

I was about to move back under the shelter when something about the figure emerging from the dark halted my steps, my breath and my heart.

I blinked away the water running down my cheeks, squinting into the curtain of rain, instinctively taking a step forward onto to the slick asphalt.

The man stopped and ran his fingers through his wet hair, and it was as if I'd walked into some kind of alternative universe.

I took one step then another, my voice quiet in the roar of the raindrops around us. "Edward?"

His head snapped up, and he didn't hesitate; in three strides, he was in front of me, water pouring down his face, flattening his hair. I lifted my hand and touched his cheek, feeling the familiar curve of his cheekbone and the sharp edge of his stubbled jaw. My heart was beating like a hummingbird, trying to escape from the cage of my chest.

"Hey, beautiful."

At the sound of his voice, tears of happiness blended with the raindrops on my face. I threw myself into his arms, knocking the wind out of him with a whump. "Are you here? Is this really you?" I clung onto his neck, pressing my lips to his before I buried my face into the warmth of his skin. His scent surrounding me mingled with the smell of wet earth after a warm day.

"Yeah. I'm here." He lowered me down, oblivious to the fact we were saturated, and cupped my face in his hands. "I'm here. I couldn't wait any more. I love you."

He dipped his head and brushed his lips against mine, humming as I gripped on to the front of his t-shirt. I twisted the soft material in my fingers, dry and warm from his body heat and hidden from the deluge by his jacket.

His tongue trailed hot across my lips. The sensation combined with the cool shower of rain on my face as I tipped it up to him and to the sky—perhaps, for me, they were the same thing—was totally consuming.

I slid my hands to wrap around his neck as our tongues caressed, wiping away our time apart and setting us back to where we left off in the bustling airport as if nothing had changed. His familiarity surrounded me, blocking out the wall of rain and the sounds of people arriving to visit family and friends. My heart drummed out an exhilarated rhythm in response to his nearness and the realness of holding, breathing, and tasting the man that was undoubtedly its owner.

Edward slowed the kiss, lifting and crushing me against his body, burying his face into my neck, my feet dangling inches above the ground. "This is where I'm meant to be." His words were muffled against my skin and drowned out by raindrops, but I heard him, and I whispered my love against his lips when he put me down.

"Come on. We'd better go inside." He took my hand, and we ran across to the door, jumping over deep puddles and splashing through others until we were inside. The harsh halogen lights made us squint as we headed to find Ro's mom. I continually squeezed his hand, double checking he was still beside me, almost pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

We caught a glimpse of ourselves in the glass pane of the door to the waiting room. "Oh, god. I look like a drowned rat." I rubbed away the black trails of mascara-smudged crescents under my eyes.

"Come here." He brushed my hair back from where it had plastered on my face with a nod at his handiwork. "There, less drowned rat, more beautiful … "

"Do not say beautiful rat." I smacked his arm playfully, his mouth widened in perfect innocence.

"I was not going to say that. You know how much I like you when you're all messy and dirty and w—" I pressed my finger to his lips.

"Shush. I know exactly what you are going to say. Absence might make the heart grow fonder, but it hasn't made me forget what you're like." I quirked an eyebrow at him in challenge, and his lips curled to a smirk beneath my finger.

"You've grown fonder of me?" His smile amplified as he rubbed his hand through his water-darkened hair, flicking drops in every direction.

I tried to rein in the eye roll, but it was still pretty dramatic as I pushed open the double doors. "That's the understatement of the century."

"You can tell me all about this increased fondness later." He whispered in my ear, banging into me as I stopped in my tracks, recognizing the voices around the corner.

I spun around and took his hand. "That's probably a good idea, because you're about to meet my parents, and you might need some tender loving care afterward."

This bit of information didn't seem to faze him one little bit. "Is that a promise?"

"You're not even a little bit worried?" I eyed him for signs of weakness, but he twisted two of his fingers together, holding them up. "Nope. Me and your dad are like this."

Unbelievable.

"Bella! There you are. Where have you been? Why are you soaking wet …" Mom's attention went straight to Edward, and if I'd been standing in front of him, I don't doubt she would have elbowed me out of the way to get to him. "Oh my gosh, is this Edward?"

"Hello, Mrs. Swan." He held his hand out, but she ignored it and pulled him into a rib-cracking hug. "None of that Mrs. Swan business. Call me Renee."

She held him back at arm's length and winked at me with a stage whisper. "Oh, Bella, he's so handsome." With the impending arrival of Baby McCarty and the unexpected arrival of Edward, my head was spinning, and I felt like I was bursting with excitement.

"Yeah, he's all right, I suppose." I groused as my dad came over and shook his hand. The motion lasted for longer than the average shake, but not as long as he'd shook Tyler Crowley's hand. My poor, unsuspecting prom date had complained of an aching arm for the rest of the night and never stepped foot on our porch to take me out again. This was, by comparison, a good start.

"Hello, son. Good to see you made it over in one piece. You've arrived in good time." He patted Edward on the back, the thumps jolting him slightly, but he smiled good-naturedly.

"I nearly didn't get here safely with Emmett's erratic driving. I think I aged five years while I was clinging onto the door for dear life."

"Hang on, Dad. You knew he was coming over?"

He smiled conspiratorially, and Edward rubbed the back of his neck. "I roped him in to help me with the plans. I had to get someone to talk you out of buying your own plane tickets."

Dad nodded. "Yep, she's a stubborn one, our Bella."

"Tell me about it. I love her, but she drives me mad."Dad barked out a laugh at Edward's unabashed declaration, making me flush an even deeper red.

"Oh, what a romantic, and you have such a lovely accent." Mom patted him on the arm as he was introduced to Ro's mom. I stared, agog, at the pair of them who looked suspiciously like they were swooning. When they started tittering, I waded in with a glare that just caused them to break into full on giggles.

"I can see where you and Ro get it from." Edward's eyes creased with laughter, making my stomach flip flop all over.

Dad crossed his arms over his chest as we waited for them to control themselves. "Son, you have no idea."

I cleared my throat loudly, about to ask about Ro, when Emmett barreled through the door, his face lit up with the biggest smile, his eyes dancing with excitement. "I'm a Dad! I can't believe it." We paused, waiting for him to fill in the gaps; it took him a moment to realize what we were waiting for. "Baby boy McCarty and mommy are doing fine."

He had to calm down both mothers, who burst into tears at his news, and when he got to me he spun me around in his arms. I clutched on to him tightly until he set me down, our laughter filling the small space. "Thank you, B, for everything you did for her. She's doing really well. They'll be bringing them both out into recovery soon, and you can say hello as soon as she's settled."

After a lot of back slapping and odd English colloquialisms involving wetting the baby's head, or some such craziness, Em disappeared to find Ro, leaving us bursting with happiness for him. Edward pulled me to his side, lowing his voice. "I love you. So fucking much.I can't wait until that's us. "

"Slow down, soldier." I leaned into him, rocking him slightly, as his words washed over me like a warm wave.

* * *

Edward cradled the tiny bundle in him arms, and I thought I was going to die of happiness.

"So, have you decided on a name yet?" he asked, his face in awe at the tiny little fingers resting on his arm as Em and Ro's son dozed after a long day.

"No, we're still deciding." Ro sent Emmett a look that told me she wasn't happy.

"Em, you might as well give up. You know she'll get her way eventually," I said as Edward walked over to the window I was leaning against and carefully placed the precious bundle in my arms, squeezing in behind me. I leaned back into his warmth, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

Emmett huffed and folded his arms with a pout, but I could already tell he was caving in. "But it's a family name."

"Emmett McCarty, I am not calling our child Reginald, even if we shortened it to Reggie, and that is the end of the discussion."

Edward unsuccessfully tried to stifle his laughter into my shoulder.

"Shush, you'll wake the baby," Ro warned him, but her eyes glittered with mischief.

"Oh, I spoke to Ali. She's already booked her flights. They get here next weekend." I rocked side to side in Edward's arms as unnamed Baby McCarty slept soundly.

"I can't wait for us all to be back together again," Ro said, fluffing her pillows and pulling herself up straighter in the bed.

"Me neither," I added as I felt Edward's lips on the side of my neck. I leaned into his kiss and smiled.

I turned to find his lips and whispered "I love you" against them as he squeezed his arms tighter around me.

"Not in front of the baby, people!" Emmett wagged his finger at us, and we all dissolved into laughter.

Edward murmured a promise in my ear. "Later."

* * *

The cab wound its way through the darkened, rain-slicked streets toward Edward's hotel.

"What are you looking at?" Edward smirked, pulling me closer to his side.

"You." I smiled, breathing him in, salty, rain-swept skin with his spicy cologne layered underneath. I'd never get enough of it. "Am I freaking you out?"

A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. "A bit. I'm starting to think I've got something on my face."

The cab pulled up outside his hotel, and we both slid out of the backseat. I clung on to the back of his jeans, slipping my hand into the warm pocket while he paid the driver. "You're like a limpet, or is it a clampet?" He hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and wrapped his arm around me, guiding me thorough the revolving door.

It stopped and started about three times before we got to the other side, the space too small for the pair of us. "You're not getting rid of me." I smiled as we finally walked up to the walnut reception desk. "And I have no idea what either of those things are."

He chuckled. "I don't want to get rid of you. I actually quite like having you attached to me." He shrugged. "I'd prefer it if you were naked though."

"I can't help it. I'm worried you're going to disappear," I mumbled into his shoulder.

Edward handed over his credit card and signed the booking forms, wrapping his arm around my neck, leaving a kiss on the tip of my nose while they went to get his key. "Bella, I'm never leaving you, okay?"

I nodded, sliding my hand under his shirt; the muscles of his abdomen flexing under my palm made me smile up at him. "I've missed this."

"You'd better stop doing that here, or I won't be responsible for my actions, and I doubt the hotel staff will want to see." He pocketed the key from the concierge and grabbed my hand from under his top, practically yanking my shoulder from its socket as he dragged me to the elevator.

"Oh, I don't know. You're a sight for sore eyes, Edward Cullen. They'd be lucky to see you naked." I purred, digging deep for my inner sex kitten.

His eyes immediately darkened as the door closed. He dropped his bag, taking two strides, and pinned me up against the mirrored wall of the elevator with his palms flat against the glass on either side of my head. "Nobody gets to see you like that other than me."

The husky rasp in his voice took a direct line to my stomach, flaring up a ball of heat that set every inch of my body on high alert. I couldn't find the words to respond, a whimper falling from my mouth in their absence.

The ding of the elevator broke through the rush of blood in my ears, and Edward had to again drag me out into the never-ending corridor. He found his door, slid the keycard in the lock, the green light flashing as it opened. He all but threw his bag across the room, pulling me inside, kicking the door shut, and pressed me up against it.

"God, I've fucking missed you." His hands searched under my top, peeling it over my head until I felt the cool wood of the door pressing into my back. "I've been thinking about this for months, and on the plane over, I couldn't think about anything else other than touching you and tasting you." He groaned and rolled his hips against me, his lips falling onto my shoulder, licking a wet, hot trail across my collarbone to my neck.

He lifted his head and allowed me to pull off his t-shirt; I was desperate to feel his skin against mine. When I wrapped my hand around his neck, pulling his body to mine, he resisted, flicking the button on my jeans, pulling them down in a flash. The fluid motion almost sent me flying, but I grabbed on to the trouser press to steady myself as I stepped out my jeans.

"Edward, what—" He silenced me with his lips, and my hands fumbled for his belt, the clink of metal and whispering of leather against denim as I pulled it off, flicking open the button and pushing them down his legs.

"I wanted to take my time …" His fingers ran under the edge of my lace panties, and heat bloomed under their path making me tremble with desire for him, needing him closer. I moaned as he twisted the material in his fingers, yanking them down, making quick work of my bra that ended up on top of all our other discarded clothes. "But, I can't do this slowly. I need you. I just want to feel you. Please." His voice was a whisper, and his words were exactly what I wanted to hear as he captured my nipple in his mouth, teasing it between his tongue and teeth until I was vibrating with want. I pushed down his boxers until he was naked pressed up against my heated skin.

My whole body throbbed for him. I'd yearned for him with every inch of skin, and my nerve endings danced under his touch. I forgot about the questions I'd had since the second I'd seen him in the car lot. The ones I'd held onto through the drama of Emmett bursting out from the operating room, declaring he was a father to a baby boy, and the ones I had bitten down during our short cab ride. They all seemed irrelevant. They didn't matter. Nothing mattered other than this man with his harsh pants against my skin, his hot hands moving and gripping against my body and lips and tongue, hot, sliding against my own. He was all that mattered. Everything else could wait.

I moaned as he lifted me up against the door, wrapping my legs around his hips and tangling my fingers into his hair as he pushed his hips into the burning heat between my legs, rattling the door in its frame. I rested my arms on his shoulders, his lips slowing until our desire had built to a level neither of us could bear for one second longer without more. I reached down and guided him into me as he whispered an unintelligible mix of love and curses against my lips.

We both released a shuddering breath as we finally got what we'd needed for months. "I love you, Edward. So much." He moaned in response when my fingernails dug into the skin of his shoulder as he started to move, every thrust and twist of his hips sending sparks through my body. His rhythm increased at the same rate the ball of heat bloomed, spreading along every inch of my body until we both melted and exploded into a shuddering tangle of sweat-soaked limbs, collapsing into a pile on the floor to catch back the breath we'd stolen from each other with our love.

"Who needs a bed?" My laugh was shaky, weak from the power of the orgasm Edward had ripped from my body.

"Exactly. They're underrated." He pulled me to my feet and into the white marbled bathroom, turning on the shower and dragging me in with him. The hot water hammered against my skin as he wrapped his body around mine. We stood that way for a while, relishing in the feeling of being together until lethargy from our earlier activities decreased and heat built between us. The trail of his hands as he soaped my body set fire to the air around us again.

I twisted in his arms and stood on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his, sliding my tongue into his mouth. This time his kisses were languid and his hands gentle as he intimately explored my body until I came apart from his touch a second time.

Edward carried me, trembling and exhausted, into the bedroom and pulled back the covers, laying me down against the feather-soft pillows, then climbing over me to the other side. He pulled me closer so I had to fling my leg over his hip, my arm around his waist, and pressed a pattern of kisses on my forehead.

I closed my eyes to his ministration; my veins felt like molten caramel was flowing through them, and I drifted to sleep wrapped in his arms.

* * *

I woke up to see Edward sitting up next to me, watching the TV on silent.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Hey, beautiful. I couldn't sleep. Jetlag." His stomach rumbled to add its answer, and Edward laughed, "Oh,and I'm dying of starvation. Did you realize they don't do room service here?" His face was a picture of dismay.

"You want to go and get something?" I sat up stretching, and he lifted his arm up so I could curl into his side.

"It's 4:30am."

"I know somewhere we can go and get take out." I played with the lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead, twisting it around my finger.

"Are you not tired?"

"Nope. Not anymore. Come on." I tugged on his hand as I jumped up, finding my clothes folded up on a chair. "You must have been really bored if you resorted to tidying up."

He shrugged, standing up, pulling his jeans on, shoving his feet into his sneakers, leaving his t-shirt for last. I didn't complain. "I considered hiding them so you'd have to stay here with me forever … naked."

"What makes you think I don't want to do that?" I cocked my head as he came and cupped my face, pressing a kiss to my lips.

"I'm suddenly not hungry anymore." He started to pull off my top, but I batted his hands away.

"Come on, we've got plenty of time for that later. We need to feed you. I don't want you losing stamina." I poked him in his stomach that growled loudly as if in response. "See?"

I kissed away his pout and dragged him out.

After Edward had ordered enough food to feed an army,and I'd ordered a bagel and black coffee, we wound our way back to the hotel.

He cradled my drink between his legs after I'd been unsuccessful at driving and sipping scolding coffee at the same time. I was wide awake from the effects of the rich strong liquid, the burning on my tongue a testament to that. "Hey, you want to go somewhere else to eat. The hotel's nice, but …"

"Sure." His response was muffled by the bacon sandwich he was stuffing in his mouth.

I turned off the main road, back into town. and headed into the twisting lanes that lead to the cliffs. The forest encroached on either side, arching overhead, blocking any light from the moon. The rain had eased off. but the roads were still slick and treacherous, so I drove carefully.

Edward wrapped his hand around my thigh, its weight and warmth was like an anchor, reminding me that he was really here. I pulled down the narrow gravel lane that lead to the look out and parked up in the deserted spot that overlooked the crashing waves.

I flicked the keys, the engine quieting until the only sound was the rush and swell of the sea, muted inside the cab of the truck. "You want to get out?"

"Yeah, I'll bring the coffees." He scrunched up a napkin and the wrapping from his sandwich, leaving it in the brown paper bag in the foot well.

I stepped onto the soft ground, carpeted with pine needles. The sharp scent of the sap mingled with the salty breeze coming off the sea, which whipped my hair around my face. I leaned over into the back of the truck and pulled out an old blanket, clambering on to the hood.

"What are you doing? You'll dent your truck!"

"It's fine. I do this all the time. She's a sturdy thing, made of strong stuff." I patted the metal, warm from our journey, beside me.

He looked unconvinced, but gingerly climbed next to me. "You come here a lot?"

I nodded, settling against him, leaning back onto the windshield. "Yeah, I do."

The sky was lightning from an inky black as the morning arrived, but the moon still hung high in the sky,its reflection silver across the water.

"It's beautiful. Is there a beach near here?" Edward handed me my coffee, the paper cup had cooled enough to risk a sip.

"Yep, around the corner there is a road that leads down to it. It's not like the beach back in England. It's rocky and wild and you end up windswept. I love it, but I've been coming here a lot more recently."

I pointed up to the dark sky, pinpricked with silver. "That's why."

Edward let his head drop back to look the starswept sky, his hand finding mine, pulling it into his lap. "God, Bella. I—" he broke off as if he couldn't find the words.I could feel his eyes on me, his face partially lit by the wan light of the moon, casting it into shadows that defined his straight nose and sharp jaw. He took my breath away every day, but having him here beside so unexpectedly, was making it more difficult to catch that normal.

"See, there is Cygnus." He followed my finger into the night sky that was slowly turning navy blue.

"I see it." He pulled me into his arms, and I turned to face him, feeling his warm breath across my face. "Thank you for bringing me here. I know today has been a whirlwind and probably not the best day to surprise you." He chuckled, rubbing his thumb in a circle over the back on my hand.

"Don't be daft. I think this will probably go down as the best day of my life, even if it was a little stressful when I couldn't get hold of Em. I was worried for his life if he'd missed the birth."

"I would have been worried for mine, too. I was the reason he was late. Our grand plans didn't include Baby McCarty making an early appearance."

I looked up at him, rubbing my nose against his. We'd hardly had a chance to talk since he'd arrived, and I had a million and one questions. "And what grand plans are those?"

He didn't answer for a moment, turning to me and brushing his thumb over my lips. "I guess they're our plans. I've been doing a lot of thinking since you left. I missed you so much, and it made me realize that I need to think about myself for once." He paused, tucking a wayward lock of hair behind my ear. "I've always tried to put others first—Riley, my parents, Lauren. I want to be the best friend and son I can be, but Bella, since you left, I've been miserable, and I wasn't the only one to notice. I think Mum was going to set up an intervention for me, until I managed to talk her down. Nothing has ever made me as happy as you do, and I hated that you weren't there."

I reached up and ran my finger across his eyebrow and down the side of his face, leaving my palm resting against the heated skin of his neck. "But, I was coming over to you. I had already booked my flights."

"No, I never booked them. It was all part of the master plan. That's why I had to get your dad involved."

It all started to slot into place. I pinched his side, making him squirm away. "I knew something was going on."

"No, you didn't." He grabbed my hand and shuffled back over, pulling me close again, pinning my hand down to prevent any further attacks.

"Okay, I didn't, but I really was planning to come over to live with you."

"I know, and I can't tell you how much it means that you were willing to move for me, but what if ten years down the line you start to resent me? You would be the one who had to make all the sacrifices while I just carried on as before. I didn't want us to start off the rest of our life together like that."

"I would never—" He kissed me to halt my response, and minutes passed before we pulled apart, our lips swollen and hearts thumping as the sun slowly crept up into the sky, setting fire to the sea and bathing us in a golden hue.

"I want to make as many sacrifices, if not more, for you. I want to show you how much you mean to me because you mean everything." I closed my eyes feeling his warm breath dance over my skin. His words started up my butterfly heartbeat, and the love I'd felt for him before was surpassed by the feelings that were building inside me now, blossoming with every word from his lips. "When Em applied for his visa in London, I applied,too."

"You did?" My eyes widened and he chuckled, pressing a kiss against the side of my mouth, his stubble scratching enticingly against my skin until he leaned back to explain.

"When he was filling in the forms, I had this feeling that I needed to as well. I think it was probably my heart trying to shout over my sensible mind. Anyway, I did,and once you'd gone, I missed you so fucking much, all these upstanding decisions I'd made to be a good friend seemed irrelevant."

"They're not irrelevant, Edward. You are a wonderful person. Your loyalty is one of the things I love the most about you."

"Well, I was having pretty negative thoughts toward Lauren, and we ended up having a blow-out argument." He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I told her that I had to follow my heart because the other option was making me too unhappy. It didn't end on good terms. She came to see me a couple of days later and admitted that she'd harbored a crazy idea that I'd fall in love with her, but she accepted that I didn't feel the same."

I bit down on the "I told you so" balancing on the edge of my tongue.

"I explained that there was only one person I'd ever love, but that I would always be therefore her at the end of the phone no matter where in the world I was. You know that the last thing Riley told me was that life was short?"

I nodded, my fingertips pressing against his side over the words he'd taken to heart and believed so wholeheartedly, he'd etched them permanently on his skin.

"Well, he also told me that love is forever, and while at the time I took that to mean his love for me and his family—I know he meant a lot more than that. I will always love you, Bella, and Riley would want me to listen to him."

"Edward …" I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that now we have options. I can come and live here with you. Em has already roped me into helping with his boot camp, and he's trying to talk me into being his partner. Or we can live in England like we'd already planned, but we have a choice. One we can make together."

I allowed his words to sink in, my emotions building up until tears spilled onto my cheeks and into my smile. Edward kissed them away and pulled me impossibly closer until his face was buried into my hair, his mouth against the shell of my ear as he whispered the words that would be the beginning of the rest of our life together.

"I love you, and I don't care where we live. We could go anywhere in the world and live in anything under the sun. The where and how don't matter. All that matters is you, Bella. You are my home."

* * *

**~o~o~o~o~o~o~**

* * *

AN: _So there we have it! This is the final chapter in Muddy and Bella's story, but I will be posting a future-take epi. I hope you've enjoyed MSB as much as I've loved writing it._

_I want to say a huge HUGE thank you to every single one of you who've been on this journey with me. It's been a long one, and I've appreciated all the support from those who've read and reviewed and rec'd it out along the way. This story was the first thing I have ever written and every single word of support has meant so much and kept me going when things got a little tough. I've made so many friends through this process, and I hope I'll see you all around on facebook/twitter and on my next stories (of which I have a few bubbling away!)_

_Some of you have been with me from the start and others have joined along the way, but I have so much love for you all. So thank you._

_Alex, Tracy, Anna, Conks, Mere, Mel, Katie, Judy, Shell, Tara, Erron– This story wouldn't have been what it is today without your encouragement and friendships. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support was invaluable, and you are all irreplaceable._

_All the ladies in Muddy's facebook group. I love you all dearly. Thank you so much for all the love and laughs you've given me along the way._

_I'll see you at the Epi_

_All the love in the world to my readers._

_Sparrow xxxxx_


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